The relation of multiple-schedule behavioral contrast to deprivation, time in session, and within-session changes in responding

Abstract

Pigeons' keypecking was reinforced by food on baseline schedules of multiple variable interval (VI) x VI x and on contrast schedules of multiple VI x VI y. Deprivation of food was varied by maintaining subjects at 75%, 85%, and 95% (+/- 2%) of their free-feeding weights. Positive and negative behavioral contrast were observed. The size of the contrast was not systematically altered by changes in deprivation. Positive and negative contrast were both larger later in the session than they were earlier. Within-session decreases in responding were steeper for the baseline than for the contrast schedules for positive contrast. Within-session decreases were steeper for the contrast than for the baseline schedules for negative contrast. These results were predicted by the idea that different amounts of habituation to the reinforcer during the baseline and contrast schedules contribute to behavioral contrast. The results show that contrast occurs under conditions that reduce the effect of the following component. The results support the assumption that positive and negative contrast are produced by symmetrical theoretical variables.

Dynamic changes in reinforcer effectiveness: Satiation and habituation have different implications for theory and practice

“…We argue that habituation contributes to these changes, not that it is the sole contributor. Swindell, & Weatherly, 1999), the behavioral interactions observed during multiple schedules (McSweeney, Kowal, Murphy, & Isava, in press;McSweeney, Murphy, & Kowal, 2003, 2004bMcSweeney, Swindell, Murphy, & Kowal, 2004;Swindell, McSweeney, & Murphy, 2003), some results that are usually attributed to behavioral economics (McSweeney & Swindell, 1999a;, and the bitonic relation between rate of responding and rate of reinforcement (e.g., McSweeney, 1992 Reducing the effectiveness ofa problematic reinforcer. Many behavioral problems occur because a reinforcer is too strong and maintains too much be-havior (e.g., obesity, smoking, drug consumption).…”

Da análise do comportamento à síntese comportamental: integrando modelos a partir de uma arquitetura computacional

“…Os painéis de cima mostram os resultados para contraste positivo, e os de baixo para contraste negativo. A coluna da direita mostra dados de pombos reais (McSweeney et al, 2004), enquanto a da esquerda foi gerada pela máquina-MPR em um procedimento idêntico. 67…”

“…Usando as configurações do Experimento 3, nós sujeitamos a máquina-MPR aos exatos mesmos procedimentos descritos por McSweeney et al (2004). Os dados gerados pela máquina, plotados nos Painéis A e C da Figura 9, mimetizam acuradamente os dados reais de pombos.…”