Percentage reinforcement and choice

Pigeons responded on identical concurrent variable-interval schedules (choice phase), producing outcomes of either periodic reinforcement schedules always terminating in reinforcement (reliable schedule) or otherwise identical schedules providing reinforcement on only a percentage of instances (percentage reinforcement schedule). Comparisons of this type constituted two assessments of the generality of preference for percentage reinforcement reported by Kendall (1974). In a third set of conditions, a reliable schedule was pitted against a percentage reinforcement schedule in which the more negative outcome was a leaner schedule of reinforcement (rather than nonreinforcement, as in the other two conditions). In all three types of conditions, the schedule providing the higher rate of reinforcement was preferred. Results from a subsequent manipulation suggest that Kendall's contrasting results may have depended on the fact that the stimuli in his choice phase (unlit keys) were physically identical to the stimulus correlated with the nonchosen outcome in his outcome phase.