Types of responding in a signal-detection task

Four pigeons were trained to discriminate between two line orientations in a two-alternative forced-choice procedure. The distribution of reinforcers for the two types of correct response was varied across conditions. Performance on each trial was recorded separately, including the time taken to make a choice response. Discriminability and response-bias measures were calculated for overall performance, and, following a median split of the data from each condition, for faster and slower choice responses in each condition. Discriminability between the stimuli did not vary systematically as a function of choice latency. Variations of the reinforcer distributions produced larger response biases for the faster responses than for the slower responses. Responses on trials following reinforcers were faster and showed a greater effect of the reinforcer distribution than did other responses. Behavioral models of signal detection should consider the speed of the choice response as a factor modulating the effects of reinforcer distributions.