SOME EFFECTS OF RESPONSE INDEPENDENT REINFORCERS IN MULTIPLE SCHEDULES1

In Exp. I, rats' lever presses were conditioned on multiple variable‐interval variable‐interval schedules. Changing one of the multiple schedule components to variable time reduced responding in that component. Further reductions in responding occurred in both components when the schedule was c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of the experimental analysis of behavior Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 225 - 231
Main Authors Lattal, K. A., Maxey, G. C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.1971
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Summary:In Exp. I, rats' lever presses were conditioned on multiple variable‐interval variable‐interval schedules. Changing one of the multiple schedule components to variable time reduced responding in that component. Further reductions in responding occurred in both components when the schedule was changed to multiple variable‐time variable‐time. After reinstating the multiple variable‐interval variable‐time schedule, lower response rates were maintained in the variable‐time component during a series of stimulus reversals. In Exp. II, replacement of extinction components of multiple variable‐interval extinction or multiple extinction extinction with variable‐time schedules for single sessions (probe) resulted in response rate increments in those components. In the former schedule these increases were concomitant with response decreases during the variable‐interval components. Response increases in the variable‐time probes were related to conditioning history and, as a result, to response probability at the time of the probe.
Bibliography:In conducting the research described in this report, the investigators adhered to the “Guide for Laboratory Animal Facilities and Care” as promulgated by the Committee on the Guide for Laboratory Animal Resources, National Academy of Science—National Research Council. Appreciation is expressed to Miss M. A. Griffin for her assistance in data analysis and to Messrs. Jerry Treadway and W. G. Lee for assistance in data collection and animal maintenance.
In conducting the research described in this report, the investigators adhered to the “Guide for Laboratory Animal Facilities and Care” as promulgated by the Committee on the Guide for Laboratory Animal Resources, National Academy of Science–National Research Council. Appreciation is expressed to Miss M. A. Griffin for her assistance in data analysis and to Messrs. Jerry Treadway and W. G. Lee for assistance in data collection and animal maintenance. Reprints may be obtained from K. A. Lattal, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, P. O. Box 109, La Jolla, California 92037.
ISSN:0022-5002
1938-3711
DOI:10.1901/jeab.1971.16-225