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Published on: September 10, 2018
Response-reinforcer independence and the economic continuum: A preliminary analysis
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Pigeons pecked more when less food was available through variable schedules, showing a link between food availability and behavior. This study explores response-reinforcer independence in pigeons.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral science
- Animal behavior
- Operant conditioning
Background:
- Understanding how reinforcement schedules influence behavior is crucial in behavioral science.
- Previous research has explored earned and unearned food delivery, but the 'economic continuum' needs further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between earned and unearned food reinforcement schedules in pigeons.
- To analyze how response-reinforcer independence affects key pecking behavior.
- To explore conditions on an 'open-to-closed economy continuum' using variable schedules.
Main Methods:
- Three pigeons were exposed to 1-hour and 4-hour sessions with food earned via a fixed-ratio 50 schedule.
- Additional food was provided using variable-interval or variable-time schedules, with varying frequencies.
- Post-session food was given after 1-hour sessions, creating different economic conditions.
Main Results:
- Key pecking frequency increased as the availability of variable-interval or variable-time food decreased.
- The study observed a clear trend indicating that reduced unearned food led to increased earned responses.
- An economic-continuum analysis using an independence quotient explained the observed behavioral changes.
Conclusions:
- Response-reinforcer independence is a key factor in understanding pigeon behavior under varying food availability.
- The findings support an economic-continuum model for analyzing operant behavior.
- Behavioral economics principles can be applied to predict responses based on reinforcement schedules.
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