Risky choice and token reinforcement: Preferences for amount variability.

Abstract

Nonhuman organisms tend to prefer variable-amount (VA) token delivery relative to fixed-amount (FA) token delivery in token-reinforcement contexts, even when VA delivery is associated with leaner schedules of reinforcement compared to FA delivery (Lagorio & Hackenberg, 2012). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate children's preferences for VA and FA token delivery as a function of token exchangeproduction schedules and reinforcer magnitude. Results from the current study are consistent with findings from Hackenberg (2010, 2012) and suggest distributed exchange-production schedules may be associated with preference for VA token delivery with small reinforcer magnitudes.