Runway Performance as a Function of Delayed Reinforcement and Delay-Box Confinement

Sequences of delayed reward and extinction confinement: Effects on pattern running and extinction performance

“…The observed effect of extinction delay box confinement on extinction performance is in agreement with the findings of Wike, Mellgren, & Wike (1968) that running speed in extinction is inversely rela~d to the percentage of delay box confmement in extinction.…”

The Intensity of Motivation

“…But factors that interfere with goal consumption, such as delay of reinforcement, greatly moderate this relationship. For example, , , and Wike et al (1968) have shown that delay reinforcement during training trials for rats running a runway for food grossly reduces the rate of running speed whether the delay is long or short, introduced early or late in training (but a delay frequency of less than 100% leaves running speed unaffected). There is no benefit to the rat that hurries, if it must nevertheless always wait.…”

Delay Patterns, Delay-Box Confinement, and Instrumental Performance

“…In accord with previous findings (Tombaugh, 1966;Wike, Mellgren, & Wike, 1967;';Wike 8: McWilliams, 1967), the present study showed that resistance to extinction varied inversely with the duration of confinement in extinction. Unlike the delay patterns in training, this difference cannoc be explained in terms of the terminal levels ac the end of acquisition since the groups were performing equivalently by virtue of randomization and the fact that the confinement groups were balanced for delay parcern in training.…”

“…Three groups of rats were trained in a runway. This generalization appears to be valid for both duration (Tombaugh, 1966;Wike 8: McWilliams, 1967) and percentage of delay (Wike, Mellgren, & Wike, 1967), and for experimental situations in which the delays are administered in either a separate delay box or a goal box. All delays were of 20-sec, duration and occurred in a distinctive delay box.…”