Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

"Turning back the clock" on serial-stimulus sign tracking.

R W Allan1, T J Matthews

  • 1Department of Psychology, Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania 18042-1781.

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|November 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Birds as bioindicators of plastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments: A 30-year review.

Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)·2024
Same author

Educational Attainment of Mothers Aged 25 and Over: United States, 2017.

NCHS data brief·2019
Same author

Total Fertility Rates by State and Race and Hispanic Origin: United States, 2017.

National vital statistics reports : from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System·2019
Same author

Infant Mortality by Age at Death in the United States, 2016.

NCHS data brief·2018
Same author

Declines in Births to Females Aged 10-14 in the United States, 2000-2016.

NCHS data brief·2018
Same author

State Variations in Infant Mortality by Race and Hispanic Origin of Mother, 2013-2015.

NCHS data brief·2018

This study shows that a negative contingency, which delays food delivery with responses, effectively reduces learned behaviors like key pecking. Both stimulus changes and delayed reinforcement contribute to this effect.

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Psychology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Operant Conditioning

Background:

  • Sign-tracking behavior is often studied using stimulus clocks signaling reward delivery.
  • Response contingencies can alter learned behaviors by modifying reinforcement schedules.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of a negative (setback) response contingency on key pecking behavior.
  • To determine the effectiveness of a setback contingency in reducing behavior elicited by a ramp stimulus.

Main Methods:

  • Two experiments were conducted using pigeons, involving key pecking behavior.
  • Experiment 1: Compared acquisition and maintenance of responding under a setback contingency versus a response-independent schedule.
  • Experiment 2: Assessed the separate effects of stimulus setback and reinforcer delay components of the contingency.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • The setback contingency rapidly and persistently reduced key pecking in both groups.
  • Response-dependent stimulus change and reinforcement delay both contributed to the contingency's effectiveness.
  • Removing the contingency led to increased responding in most subjects.

Conclusions:

  • Sign-tracking behavior can be effectively reduced by imposing a setback contingency.
  • The success of the contingency relies on both stimulus alterations and changes in reinforcement frequency.
  • The findings offer insights into the mechanisms of secondary reinforcement and punishment.