Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026
11:20
Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning
Published on: June 2, 2014
Response-cost punishment via token loss with pigeons
Cynthia J Pietras1, Timothy D Hackenberg
1Department of Psychology, P.O. Box 112250, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-2250, USA.
Behavioural Processes
|May 18, 2005
Summary
Response cost punishment, involving token removal, effectively suppressed pigeon key pecking. This suppression occurred independently of changes in food reinforcement density, highlighting punishment
Area of Science:
- Behavioral psychology
- Animal behavior
- Operant conditioning
Background:
- Conditioned reinforcers, like tokens, can maintain behavior.
- Response cost is a form of punishment where reinforcers are removed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate punishment via response-contingent removal of conditioned token reinforcers (response cost) in pigeons.
- To determine if response cost has a suppressive effect independent of changes in reinforcement density.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments using pigeons and a multiple second-order schedule of token delivery.
- Experiment 1: Response-contingent token removal (punishment) vs. no punishment.
- Experiment 2: Yoking procedures to isolate the effect of punishment from reinforcement density changes.
Main Results:
- Response cost significantly decreased response rates in the punishment component.
- Tokens served as effective conditioned reinforcers, maintaining responding even without food.
- The suppressive effect of response cost was observed even when controlling for changes in food reinforcement density.
Conclusions:
- Response-cost punishment effectively suppresses behavior in pigeons.
- Response cost shares features with other punishment procedures, impacting behavior beyond mere reinforcement reduction.
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