Free-operant forgetting: Delayed stimulus control of multiple-schedule performance
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats
Published on: February 15, 2015
Abstract:
Pigeons' responses were reinforced in two components of several multiple variable-interval variable-interval schedules of food reinforcement. In one component, the key was illuminated green for 15 seconds and white for 45 seconds. In the other component, the key was illuminated red for 15 seconds and white for 45 seconds. Values for the exponent of the power functions relating response ratios to reinforcement ratios were higher in the presence of the discriminative stimuli (green or red) than in the presence of white. Sensitivity of response ratios to changes in reinforcement ratios provided an index of the extent to which responding was under delayed stimulus control by prior discriminative stimuli.
Related Concept Videos
Reinforcement Schedules
Once a behavior is learned,...
Forgetting
Encoding...
Timing and Consequences on Behavior
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
Interference and Decay
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
Associative Learning
Classical conditioning, also known...

