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 Concept Videos

Operant Conditioning01:21

Operant Conditioning

2.6K
Operant conditioning, a key concept in behavioral psychology, involves using reinforcement and punishment to alter the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. B.F. introduced this type of conditioning. Skinner focused on voluntary behaviors and the consequences that follow them, influencing whether these behaviors will be strengthened or diminished.
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...
2.6K
Associative Learning01:27

Associative Learning

2.1K
Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
2.1K
Operant Conditioning Intervention01:24

Operant Conditioning Intervention

725
Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
725
Law of Effect01:06

Law of Effect

5.7K
B.F. Skinner, a prominent figure in behavioral psychology, introduced operant conditioning by emphasizing the role of consequences in shaping behavior. This theory builds upon the law of effect proposed by Edward Thorndike, which posits that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are likely to be repeated. In contrast, those followed by unsatisfying outcomes are less likely to recur.
Edward Thorndike's foundational work involved studying learning in animals, particularly using puzzle...
5.7K
Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction01:24

Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction

2.1K
Generalization, discrimination, and extinction are key concepts in operant conditioning that influence how behaviors are learned and maintained.
Generalization occurs when a behavior reinforced in one context is performed in similar situations. For instance, a student who studies diligently for calculus and receives excellent grades might apply the same study habits to psychology and history, expecting similar results. Generalization shows how learning in one setting can influence behavior in...
2.1K
Behaviorism01:28

Behaviorism

7.6K
The field of behaviorism was pioneered by figures such as Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner fundamentally shifted the focus of psychology to the observable and controllable aspects of human and animal behavior. This shift marked a critical evolution in the discipline, emphasizing scientific rigor and experimental methodology.
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
7.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A further study of choice and percentage reinforcement.

Behavioural processes·2014
Same author

Attention in the pigeon: testing for excitatory and inhibitory control by the weak elements.

Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·1979
Same author

Delayed reinforcement of fixed-ratio performance without mediating exteroceptive conditioned reinforcement.

Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·1978
Same author

Resistance to Fasciola hepatica in cattle I. Parasitological and serological observations.

Journal of comparative pathology·1978
Same author

Oesophagostomum species in pigs in England. 2. Oesophagostomum quadrispinulatum: resistance to reinfection.

Journal of comparative pathology·1977
Same author

Oesophagostomum species in pigs in England. 1. Oesophagostomum quadrispinulatum: description and life-history.

Journal of comparative pathology·1977
Same journal

Sex and brain maturation underlie the attribution of incentive salience to conditioned stimuli in Wistar rats.

Behavioural processes·2026
Same journal

Shining a light on jellyfish behaviour: Enhanced motor activity and positive phototaxis in Aurelia coerulea.

Behavioural processes·2026
Same journal

Detour-task performance in color polymorphic male mosquitofish.

Behavioural processes·2026
Same journal

Behavioral and physiological changes during the estrous cycle of socially housed female guinea pigs.

Behavioural processes·2026
Same journal

Flexible time-series analysis: A dynamically aware method for inferring directed dependencies in behavioral data.

Behavioural processes·2026
Same journal

Effects of group size and landmarks on escape behavior of three fish species.

Behavioural processes·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats
08:30

Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats

Published on: February 15, 2015

20.9K

Behavioral contrast of a complex operant.

S B Kendall1

  • 1Psychology Dept., University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario Canada, N6A 5C2.

Behavioural Processes
|June 14, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Complex operant behavior in pigeons can exhibit behavioral contrast. Stimulus-reinforcer contingencies can enhance trained complex responses, as shown in two pigeon experiments.

More Related Videos

New Variations for Strategy Set-shifting in the Rat
09:45

New Variations for Strategy Set-shifting in the Rat

Published on: January 23, 2017

7.7K
Visual Classical Conditioning in Wood Ants
05:46

Visual Classical Conditioning in Wood Ants

Published on: October 5, 2018

9.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats
08:30

Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats

Published on: February 15, 2015

20.9K
New Variations for Strategy Set-shifting in the Rat
09:45

New Variations for Strategy Set-shifting in the Rat

Published on: January 23, 2017

7.7K
Visual Classical Conditioning in Wood Ants
05:46

Visual Classical Conditioning in Wood Ants

Published on: October 5, 2018

9.1K

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral psychology
  • Animal behavior studies
  • Operant conditioning

Background:

  • Complex operant responses involve sequential actions.
  • Behavioral contrast is a phenomenon where an organism's rate of responding is affected by changes in reinforcement contingencies in another component of a multiple schedule.
  • Understanding factors influencing complex behavior is crucial in operant conditioning research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate behavioral contrast in pigeons performing a complex operant response.
  • To examine the effect of stimulus-reinforcer contingencies on the reappearance of a trained complex response.

Main Methods:

  • Two experiments were conducted with pigeons trained on a two-key complex operant response.
  • Experiment I involved variable-interval reinforcement followed by multiple schedules alternating with extinction or discrimination.
  • Experiment II involved extinction followed by a phase with stimulus-reinforcer contingencies.

Main Results:

  • Pigeons demonstrated behavioral contrast under specific multiple schedule conditions.
  • A complex response temporarily reappeared when a stimulus-reinforcer contingency was introduced after extinction.
  • Some individual differences in response to the experimental manipulations were observed.

Conclusions:

  • Complex operant behavior in pigeons is susceptible to behavioral contrast.
  • Stimulus-reinforcer contingencies can reinstate previously trained complex responses.
  • These findings contribute to understanding the dynamics of complex operant behavior and reinforcement schedules.