Induction effects during a schedule of response-independent reinforcement

Abstract

The role of response function in maintaining behavior during the delivery of response-independent reinforcers was examined. Rats were trained on two-component multiple schedules. One component was associated with response-dependent reinforcers for all rats and the second component was associated with a schedule of response-dependent or response-independent reinforcer delivery or extinction. The rats exposed to each of the multiple schedules initially developed responding in both components, but sustained responding occurred only in the components where reinforcer delivery occurred. These results suggest that response induction does not alone account for the sustained responding in response-independent reinforcer components of multiple schedules.