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The influence of prior choices on current choice
Xochitl de la Piedad1, Douglas Field, Howard Rachlin
1State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794-2500, USA.
Insights
Pigeons demonstrated an "sunk-cost" effect, decreasing their choice of a new option as they spent more time on their initial choice, even without reward. This behavior suggests prior choices can influence future decisions in self-control scenarios.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral psychology
- Animal cognition
- Decision-making under uncertainty
Background:
- Understanding choice behavior is crucial for modeling decision-making.
- Reinforcement schedules significantly influence animal behavior.
- The influence of prior choices on subsequent decisions, independent of reinforcement, is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of prior choices on subsequent decisions in pigeons.
- To examine the role of "sunk-cost" effects in choice behavior.
- To explore how reinforcement contingencies interact with prior choice effects.
Main Methods:
- Pigeons were presented with two keys offering different reinforcement schedules: random-interval (RI) and continuous-reinforcement, fixed-interval (crf-FI).
- The availability of the RI key was contingent on choices made at the crf-FI key.
- Experiments manipulated RI waiting time, extinction parameters, and crf-FI availability windows.
Main Results:
- Pigeons decreased their switching rate to the crf-FI schedule as RI waiting time increased, indicating an "exercise effect" or sunk-cost bias.
- Switching rates showed a non-monotonic pattern when extinction was introduced, reflecting sensitivity to both prior choices and reinforcement outcomes.
- Constraining crf-FI availability to a brief window increased switching rates irrespective of timing within the RI waiting period.
Conclusions:
- Prior choices can exert a significant influence on subsequent decisions, even when the prospective value of alternatives remains constant.
- The observed "exercise effect" may function as a commitment device in self-control.
- Behavioral choices are influenced by a complex interplay of prior experience and immediate reinforcement contingencies.
Abstract:
Three pigeons chose between random-interval (RI) and tandem, continuous-reinforcement, fixed-interval (crf-FI) reinforcement schedules by pecking either of two keys. As long as a pigeon pecked on the RI key, both keys remained available. If a pigeon pecked on the crf-FI key, then the RI key became unavailable and the crf-FI timer began to time out. With this procedure, once the RI key was initially pecked, the prospective value of both alternatives remained constant regardless of time spent pecking on the RI key without reinforcement (RI waiting time). Despite this constancy, the rate at which pigeons switched from the RI to the crf-FI decreased sharply as RI waiting time increased. That is, prior choices influenced current choice-an exercise effect. It is argued that such influence (independent of reinforcement contingencies) may serve as a sunk-cost commitment device in self-control situations. In a second experiment, extinction was programmed if RI waiting time exceeded a certain value. Rate of switching to the crf-FI first decreased and then increased as the extinction point approached, showing sensitivity to both prior choices and reinforcement contingencies. In a third experiment, crf-FI availability was limited to a brief window during the RI waiting time. When constrained in this way, switching occurred at a high rate regardless of when, during the RI waiting time, the crf-FI became available.
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