Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Behavioral contrast of time allocation
Abstract:
Pigeons' standing on a platform produced food reinforcement according to two-component multiple schedules in which either both components consisted of the same variable-interval schedule or one of these was replaced with a component without reinforcement (extinction). The components of the multiple schedule alternated every 30 sec, and were signalled by changes in the color of diffuse overhead illumination. Changing the schedule of one of the components to extinction increased the percentage of time spent on the platform during the unchanged component (behavioral contrast). This result casts doubt on accounts that attribute behavioral contrast to variations in the rate of noninstrumental elicited responses.
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