Response deprivation: An empirical approach to instrumental performance.

Abstract

The empirical law of effect is criticized as an incomplete step in the development of empirical laws of instrumental performance. An alternate approach to the prediction of performance is developed which follows Premack in relating instrumental performance to empirical measures of operant behavior. However, it is concluded that instrumental performance is not determined by a probability differential in operant baseline between the instrumental and contingent responses, but by the condition of response deprivation. This condition depends on the terms of the schedule as well as operant baseline measures. The response deprivation condition occurs in a contingency if, in performing the instrumental response at operant baseline, the subject would perform less than his operant baseline of the contingent response. Instrumental performance appears directly related to the amount of response deprivation. Response selection and the application of the response deprivation approach are discussed.

Adaptive Behavior and Learning

“…For a theoretical discussion see Staddon (1977b), and Chapter 10. For theoretical discussions of regulation in the sense of this chapter see McFarland and Houston (1981), Stad-don (1979a,b), Timberlake and Allison (1974), Timberlake (1980), and an earlier paper by Premack (1965).…”

“…For example, several studies have looked at the behavior of rats or guinea pigs responding for food or water on ratio schedules with different amounts of access to each reinforcer (Allison, Miller, & Wozny, 1979;Hirsch & Collier, 1974;Kelsey & Allison, 1976;and Timberlake & Allison, 1974). The results show that the relation between the amount of access to food or water (e.g., seconds of access, or grams, per hour of exposure to the procedure) and the rate of instrumental responding is largely independent of the size of the "meal" the animal receives at the completion of each ratio: if the animal will respond 20 times a minute on FR 30 for a 45-mg pellet, he will respond at approximately the same rate for a 90-mg pellet on FR 60 or a 180-mg pellet on FR 120.…”

Detrimental effects of reward: Reality or myth?

“…77-78) argued that organisms may have an innate or acquired motive to control the environment. Some behavioral theories of motivation assume that organisms are motivated to maintain all of their behaviors at preferred levels and that deviations from preferred performance are aversive (Allison, 1976;Hanson & Timberlake, 1983;Timberlake & Allison, 1974).…”

The Temporal Pattern of Unconstrained Drinking: Rats' Responses to Inversion and Identity Constraints

“…The same results occurred under an identity schedule, a series of openings and closings that duplicated the unconstrained pattern of drinking and pausing. The results have implications for theories that assume that instrumental performance under schedule constraint derives from the animal's defense of a measured set-point.Key words: drinking, bouts, pauses, unconstrained pattern, inversion constraint, identity constraint, rats Numerous regulatory models assume that performance under the constraints of a schedule derives from the animal's defense of some set-point for the kinds of behavior controlled by the schedule (Hanson & Timberlake, 1983;Heth & Warren, 1978;Rachlin & Burkhard, 1978;Staddon, 1979;Timberlake, 1980;Timberlake & Allison, 1974). The set-point is commonly defined in terms of the total amount of responding typically observed in the absence of schedule constraint, in constant-duration sessions that allow unrestricted performance of the kinds of behavior under study.…”