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Reinforcement Schedules

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Positive reinforcement is a powerful method for teaching new behaviors to both animals and humans. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments using rats in a Skinner box. When a rat pressed a lever, it received a food pellet. This immediate reward encouraged the rat to repeat the behavior. This method, where a reward follows every instance of the behavior, is known as continuous reinforcement. It is highly effective for establishing new behaviors quickly.
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Related Experiment Video

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Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats

Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats

Published on: March 17, 2019

Procedure for preventing response strain on random interval schedules with a linear feedback loop.

¹Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK. p.reed@swansea.ac.uk.

Learning & Behavior

|July 23, 2015

Summary

This study shows that response-independent food delivery can increase lever-pressing rates in rats on random interval-plus (RI+) schedules, unlike on standard random interval (RI) schedules. This suggests rats can adjust to complex reinforcement schedules.

Keywords:

Inter-response time Molar Molecular Random interval Random interval with linear feedback

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Area of Science:

Behavioral psychology
Animal learning theory

Background:

Response or extinction strain can occur on random interval schedules.
Random interval-plus (RI+) schedules incorporate a linear feedback loop.
Understanding factors influencing operant conditioning is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of response-independent food delivery on rat behavior under RI+ schedules.
To compare the effects of response-independent food on RI+ versus standard RI schedules.
To examine sensitivity to molar aspects of operant contingencies.

Main Methods:

Rats were trained on either RI+ or matched RI schedules for food reinforcement.
One group on each schedule received supplemental response-independent food.
Response rates and reinforcement rates were measured.

Main Results:

Rats on RI and RI+ schedules achieved similar reinforcement rates.
Response-independent food decreased response rates on RI schedules.
Response-independent food increased response rates on RI+ schedules.

Conclusions:

Rats demonstrate sensitivity to molar contingencies under specific conditions.
Procedures can mitigate extinction strain effects.
RI+ schedules may elicit different behavioral patterns than RI schedules when supplemental reinforcement is present.