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Preference for locus of punishment in a response sequence
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|March 1, 1972
Summary
Pigeons demonstrated preferences for specific shock schedules during food-seeking behavior. Their overall response rate correlated with preference, except when early shocks were preferred.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Animal Behavior
- Operant Conditioning
Background:
- Pigeons were food-deprived and trained to peck a key for grain availability after 70 responses.
- Within each 70-response sequence, electric shock was unpredictably delivered after the first, middle, or final peck.
- A second key controlled the food key's color and associated shock schedule.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pigeons' preferences for different shock schedules within an operant conditioning paradigm.
- To determine if pigeons actively select or avoid certain shock timings.
- To explore the relationship between shock schedule preference and overall response rate.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a within-subject design where pigeons experienced three distinct shock schedules.
- Pigeons could change the shock schedule by pecking a second key, which also altered the food key's visual appearance.
- Recorded key-pecking rates and analyzed preference data based on schedule selection.
Main Results:
- Pigeons exhibited significant preferences for particular shock schedules, indicating active choice.
- The strength of preference varied considerably among individual pigeons.
- Response rates generally increased with preference for a shock schedule, with a notable exception when early shocks were most preferred.
Conclusions:
- Pigeons can discriminate and develop preferences for different schedules of aversive stimuli (shock).
- These findings highlight the complex interplay between reinforcement, punishment, and choice behavior in animals.
- The results suggest that the timing of aversive events significantly influences operant behavior and preference.
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