Effects of self-generated rules on the development of schedule-controlled behavior

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Operant Conditioning

Background:

• Understanding rule-governed behavior is crucial in behavioral psychology.
• Previous research has explored the impact of rules on learning and behavior under various schedules of reinforcement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of self-generated rules versus externally provided rules on behavior under a multiple schedule.
• To compare the acquisition and extinction phases of behavior when rules are involved.

Main Methods:

• College students were exposed to a multiple differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) 5-s fixed-ratio (FR) 8 schedule.
• Three groups were compared: self-generated rule, yoked (externally provided) rule, and no-rule group.
• Behavior was assessed during acquisition, maintenance, and extinction phases.

Main Results:

• Self-generated rule participants showed more schedule-typical behavior during acquisition compared to the no-rule group.
• Yoked-rule participants acquired behavior faster than self-generated rule participants.
• During extinction, all groups showed reduced responding, but rule-following groups maintained higher rates than the no-rule group.

Conclusions:

• Asking participants to develop self-rules facilitates the acquisition of schedule-typical behavior.
• Self-generated rules may retard the extinction of behavior compared to no-rule conditions.
• Self-generated rules appear to function similarly to externally provided rules in influencing behavior.