Human Operant Performance: Sensitivity and Pseudosensitivity to Contingencies

Abstract

Undergraduates' button presses occasionally produced points exchangeable for money. Left and right buttons were initially correlated with multiple random-ratio (RR) and random-interval (RI) components, respectively. During interruptions of the multiple schedule, students filled out sentence-completion guess sheets describing the schedules, and points were contingent upon the accuracy of guesses. To test for sensitivity to schedule contingencies, schedule components were repeatedly reversed between the two buttons. Pressing rates were consistently higher in ratio than in interval components even when feedback for guesses was discontinued, demonstrating sensitivity to the difference between ratio and interval contingencies. The question was whether this sensitivity was based directly on the contingencies or whether it was rule-governed. For two students, when multiple RR RI schedules were changed to multiple RI RI schedules, rates became low in both components of the multiple RI RI schedule; however, subsequent prevention of point deliveries for the first few responses in any component produced high rates in that component. For a third student, response rates became higher in the RI component that provided the lower rate of reinforcement. In each case, performance was inconsistent with typical effects of the respective schedules with nonhuman organisms; it was therefore plausible to conclude that the apparently contingency-governed performances were instead rule-governed.

Human performance on random ratio and random interval schedules, performance awareness and verbal instructions

“…At present, the reasons for contingency-sensitive versus contingencyinsensitive human responding on schedules are unclear, but differentiated patterns of responding have been linked to factors such as whether the reinforcer requires a consummatory response , the type of reinforcement employed (Lowe, Harzem, & Bagshaw, 1978), whether performance is shaped or instructed by experimenters (Catania et al, 1982;Matthews, Catania, & Shimoff, 1985;Matthews et al, 1977;Shimoff et al, 1981;Shimoff, Matthews, & Catania, 1986), and to the degree that the participants demonstrate contingency or performance awareness (Bradshaw & Reed, 2012;Hayes, Brownstein, Zettle, Rosenfarb, & Korn, 1986b;Wearden & Shimp, 1985b). In relation to these latter two concepts, Bcontingency awareness^(CA) is taken to be the participant's ability to describe what relationship is actually required between response and outcome (e.g., Brewer, 1974;Lippman & Meyer, 1967), whereas Bperformance awareness( PA) is taken to be the participant's ability to accurately describe the behavior that he or she has just emitted (e.g., Bradshaw & Reed, 2012).…”

“…In light of the apparent complexity in previous findings concerning sensitive schedule performance, PA, and verbal instructions (Catania et al, 1982;Hayes et al, 1986a;Hayes et al, 1986b;Matthews et al, 1985;Shimoff et al, 1981;Shimoff et al, 1986), the present set of studies aimed to explore these relationships further. In particular, it is hoped to establish whether CA or PA is most related to the emergence of schedule-typical responding in humans, whether either results in greater or lesser sensitivity to changes in the contingencies, and the relationship of both to the provision of explicit verbal instructions.…”

Efeitos de regras com diferentes extensões sobre o comportamento humano

“…A maior parte dos estudos, na linha de pesquisa do comportamento governado por regras, tem investigado as condições sob as quais o seguimento de regras é mais ou menos provável de ser mantido (Albuquerque, 1998;Baron, Kaufman & Stauber, 1969;Galizio, 1979;Hayes, Brownstein, Haas & Greenway, 1986;Hayes, Brownstein, Zettle, Rosenfarb & Korn, 1986;Joyce & Chase, 1990;LeFrancois, Chase & Joyce, 1988;Paracampo, Albuquerque & Fontes, 1993;Shimoff, Catania & Matthews, 1981;Shimoff, Matthews & Catania, 1986;Weiner, 1970).…”

Efeitos de modelagem do comportamento verbal e de instruções sobre o comportamento de encaixar peças

“…Se ela aprende a montar brinquedos em função das orientações da mãe, seu comportamento foi instalado por regras. Skinner (1969Skinner ( /1980 afirmou que comportamentos modelados por contingências são comportamentos mantidos diretamente pelas relações entre a resposta e suas conseqüências e comportamentos governados por regras são comportamentos que ocorrem sob controle de estímulos discriminativos verbais.Algumas investigações (Albuquerque, Paracampo & Albuquerque, 2004); Albuquerque & Silva, 2006;Catania, Lowe & Horne, 1990;Catania, Matthews & Shimoff, 1982;Cavalcante, 1999;Cavalcante, Barreiros, Rosin, Villas Boas & Salina, 2002; Neef & col.s, 2004;Northup, Kodak, Grow, Lee & Coyne, 2004;Paracampo, 1991;Shimoff, Matthews & Catania, 1986) têm sido desenvolvidas para estudar experimentalmente os efeitos de regras/instruções sobre o que as pessoas falam e fazem.O repertório comportamental dos indivíduos depende de suas experiências de vida e das conseqüências diretas de suas ações no ambiente, bem como as descrições verbais apresentadas pela comunidade têm um papel fundamental na constituição das características peculiares a cada ser humano.As descrições verbais apresentadas pela comunidade são denominadas regras ou instruções, pois descrevem para um indivíduo como se comportar em determinada situação e as possíveis conseqüências de suas ações. Por exemplo: uma criança pode aprender a encaixar peças de um jogo de lego em função dos brinquedos produzidos e das brincadeiras que oportunizam, ou pelas orientações fornecidas pela mãe e/ou pela demonstração da construção de brinquedos e RESUMO -Pesquisas têm demonstrado diferenças nos efeitos dos comportamentos verbais modelado e instruído sobre o comportamento verbal e não-verbal.…”

“…Algumas investigações (Albuquerque, Paracampo & Albuquerque, 2004); Albuquerque & Silva, 2006;Catania, Lowe & Horne, 1990;Catania, Matthews & Shimoff, 1982;Cavalcante, 1999;Cavalcante, Barreiros, Rosin, Villas Boas & Salina, 2002; Neef & col.s, 2004;Northup, Kodak, Grow, Lee & Coyne, 2004;Paracampo, 1991;Shimoff, Matthews & Catania, 1986) têm sido desenvolvidas para estudar experimentalmente os efeitos de regras/instruções sobre o que as pessoas falam e fazem.…”