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BOUTS OF RESPONDING FROM VARIABLE‐INTERVAL REINFORCEMENT OF LEVER PRESSING BY RATS
Author(s) -
Shull Richard L.,
Grimes Julie A.
Publication year - 2003
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.2003.80-159
Subject(s) - reinforcement , lever , schedule , variable (mathematics) , block (permutation group theory) , psychology , statistics , mathematics , computer science , social psychology , engineering , mechanical engineering , mathematical analysis , operating system , geometry
Four rats obtained food pellets by lever pressing. A variable‐interval reinforcement schedule assigned reinforcers on average every 2 min during one block of 20 sessions and on average every 8 min during another block. Also, at each variable‐interval duration, a block of sessions was conducted with a schedule that imposed a variable‐ratio 4 response requirement after each variable interval (i.e., a tandem variable‐time variable‐ratio 4 schedule). The total rate of lever pressing increased as a function of the rate of reinforcement and as a result of imposing the variable‐ratio requirement. Analysis of log survivor plots of interresponse times indicated that lever pressing occurred in bouts that were separated by pauses. Increasing the rate of reinforcement increased total response rate by increasing the rate of initiating bouts and, less reliably, by lengthening bouts. Imposing the variable‐ratio component increased response rate mainly by lengthening bouts. This pattern of results is similar to that reported previously with key poking as the response. Also, response rates within bouts were relatively insensitive to either variable.