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Related Experiment Videos

Timeout postponement without increased reinforcement frequency.

C J Pietras1, T D Hackenberg

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-2250, USA. pietras@psych.ufl.edu

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|October 12, 2000
PubMed
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Pigeons learned to postpone extinction periods (timeouts) by responding, even when it didn't change overall timeout or food frequency. This behavior was maintained even when timeouts became longer or were delayed regardless of response.

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Psychology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Operant Conditioning

Background:

  • Pigeons often engage in behaviors that do not alter overall reinforcement or punishment schedules.
  • Understanding the variables that maintain such seemingly non-contingent behaviors is crucial in behavioral science.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate pigeons' ability to postpone signaled extinction periods (timeouts).
  • To examine the conditions under which postponement responding is maintained, even without changes in overall timeout or reinforcement frequency.
  • To differentiate between negative reinforcement by postponement and positive reinforcement by immediate stimuli.

Main Methods:

  • A discrete-trial procedure was employed with pigeons.
  • Responding during a specific interval postponed an immediate timeout.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Food reinforcement was delivered on a random-interval schedule during time-in periods.

    • Main Results:

    • Pigeons consistently responded to postpone timeouts when the contingency was in effect.
    • Postponement responding was maintained even when timeouts increased in duration or when timeouts were delayed regardless of response.
    • Responding was maintained for most subjects, suggesting negative reinforcement by timeout postponement.

    Conclusions:

    • Pigeons will postpone aversive events (timeouts) through operant responding.
    • Negative reinforcement, specifically the postponement of an aversive event, can maintain behavior even when other consequences are not altered.
    • This study highlights the power of negative reinforcement in shaping animal behavior.