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BEHAVIORAL CONTRAST: PAVLOVIAN EFFECTS AND ANTICIPATORY CONTRAST
Author(s) -
HassinHerman Alison D.,
Hemmes Nancy S.,
Brown Bruce L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of the experimental analysis of behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1938-3711
pISSN - 0022-5002
DOI - 10.1901/jeab.1992.57-159
Subject(s) - reinforcement , contrast (vision) , psychology , stimulus (psychology) , classical conditioning , contrast effect , developmental psychology , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , social psychology , conditioning , artificial intelligence , computer science , mathematics , statistics
Two sources of behavioral contrast have been identified previously: Pavlovian stimulus‐reinforcer relations and component sequence effects (anticipatory contrast). This study sought to isolate these sources of control procedurally in a four‐ply multiple schedule composed of two fixed two‐component sequences. Different cues were associated with the first component of each sequence, and contrast effects were studied in these target components. In Experiment 1, differential cuing of Component 2 between sequences and availability of reinforcement during target components were varied across three groups of pigeons; the stimulus‐reinforcer relation between target‐component cues and schedule of reinforcement in Component 2 was varied within subjects. Control by the Pavlovian relation was demonstrated under all conditions, and anticipatory contrast was not observed. In Experiment 2, target‐component duration was systematically varied in the three groups of Experiment 1. Control by the Pavlovian relation was reliably obtained only when target‐component behavior was unreinforced, and diminished with increases in component duration. Anticipatory contrast emerged in the two groups for which target‐component reinforcement was available. These and other data indicate that Pavlovian effects in multiple schedules may be obscured when the requisite conditions for anticipatory contrast are present.