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Timeout induced by differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedules
1Fircrest School, Seattle, Washington USA.
Behavioural Processes
|June 14, 2014
Summary
Rats adjusted their behavior on differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) schedules by increasing timeout periods when schedules were longer. Reinforcement rate was key to managing timeout duration and frequency.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral science
- Animal behavior studies
- Operant conditioning
Background:
- Differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL) schedules are used to study response timing.
- Contingent timeout periods can alter behavior under DRL schedules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how rats adjust to differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL) schedules with contingent timeout periods.
- To determine the factors influencing the duration and frequency of timeout periods.
Main Methods:
- Three rats were trained on DRL schedules with varying durations (16s to 96s).
- A second lever press initiated a timeout, turning off lights and preventing food access.
- Responding during timeout reinstated the DRL schedule and illumination.
Main Results:
- Timeout percentage increased with longer DRL schedules and decreased with shorter ones.
- Changes in timeout percentage were mainly due to mean timeout duration, not initiation rate.
- Extinction of the timeout contingency increased timeout percentage.
Conclusions:
- The rate of reinforcement significantly influences the proportion of session time spent in timeout.
- Rats adapt their timeout behavior based on the DRL schedule length and reinforcement availability.
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