Undermatching and contrast within components of multiple schedules

Six multiple variable-interval schedules each comprised one variable-interval sixty second component and an alternated component which was varied. Four pigeons' responses were recorded in five successive subintervals of each component. Response rate changes across subintervals revealed instances of local contrast and small local induction effects in the changed component. In the constant component, smaller local contrast and larger local induction effects obtained. Accordingly, the magnitude of behavioral contrast, defined as an inverse relation between response rate in the constant component and reinforcement rate in the changed component, did not change reliably across subintervals of the constant component. Ratios of response rates in initial subintervals were highly sensitive to reinforcement ratios. Sensitivity decreased sharply over the first two-fifths of the components and remained constant for the remainder. The results demonstrated that changes in multiple schedule sensitivity are a function of time since the alternation of successive components.