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Related Experiment Videos

Concurrent ratio schedules: Fixed vs. variable response requirements.

D P Rider

    Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
    |March 1, 1979
    PubMed
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    Rats adjusted their behavior based on reinforcement schedules. They allocated more responses to schedules with higher reinforcement rates, especially when the difference between schedules was significant.

    Area of Science:

    • Behavioral Psychology
    • Animal Behavior Studies
    • Operant Conditioning

    Background:

    • Understanding how animals allocate responses between different reinforcement schedules is crucial for behavioral psychology.
    • Previous research has explored concurrent schedules, but the interaction between fixed-ratio and variable/mixed-ratio schedules requires further investigation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate response and time allocation in rats under concurrent fixed-ratio (FR) variable-ratio (VR) and concurrent FR mixed-ratio (MR) schedules.
    • To examine how changes in FR magnitude influence allocation when paired with VR or MR schedules.
    • To determine the relationship between reinforcement rate differences and exclusive responding.

    Main Methods:

    • Rats were trained on concurrent schedules with varying FR values (25, 35, 50, 60, 99).

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  • VR schedules averaged a ratio of 50; MR schedules used equiprobable ratios of 1 and 99.
  • Proportion of responses and time allocated to each schedule were recorded.

    • Main Results:

    • Response and time allocation shifted towards the VR or MR schedule as the FR value increased.
    • At lower FR values (25, 35), rats favored the FR schedule.
    • At higher FR values (50+), rats favored the VR or MR schedule.
    • Exclusive responding occurred when local reinforcement rate differences were substantial, with more even distribution as differences decreased.

    Conclusions:

    • Rats dynamically adjust their behavior based on the relative reinforcement rates of concurrent schedules.
    • The magnitude of the fixed ratio significantly influences allocation, with larger ratios leading to a preference for variable or mixed schedules.
    • Reinforcement rate differences are a key determinant of exclusive versus distributed responding in concurrent schedules.