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Fixed-time schedule effects as a function of baseline reinforcement rate.
J E Ringdahl1, T R Vollmer, J C Borrero
1University Hospital School, The University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242-1011, USA. joel-ringdahl@uiowa.edu
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|April 25, 2001
Summary
Fixed-time (FT) schedules and extinction both decrease responding. FT schedules are more effective at reducing response rates when the reinforcer rate differs from the baseline schedule.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral psychology
- Operant conditioning
Background:
- Investigating reinforcement schedules is crucial for understanding behavior modification.
- Response-dependent schedules are common, but fixed-time (FT) schedules offer an alternative approach.
Observation:
- This study examined fixed-time (FT) schedules against a baseline response-dependent schedule and extinction.
- Arbitrary responses were used to evaluate schedule effectiveness.
Findings:
- Both FT schedules and extinction led to reduced responding.
- FT schedules demonstrated greater efficacy in decreasing response rates when the FT reinforcer rate was dissimilar to the baseline reinforcer rates.
- Data analysis explored adventitious response-reinforcer relations to explain these differences.
Implications:
- Findings suggest that manipulating reinforcer schedules, particularly the dissimilarity of FT schedules to baseline, can be a powerful tool for behavior reduction.
- This has implications for therapeutic interventions and understanding basic behavioral principles.
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