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Does overall reinforcer rate affect discrimination of time-based contingencies?
Sarah Cowie1, Michael Davison1, Luca Blumhardt1
1The University of Auckland.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|May 7, 2016
Summary
Overall reinforcer rate influences choice behavior by altering stimulus control. This study shows that changes in reinforcer availability quickly modify response bias and discrimination, supporting a stimulus-control model.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Learning and memory
- Decision-making
Background:
- Overall reinforcer rate is known to affect choice behavior.
- The precise mechanism by which reinforcer rate influences choice remains unclear.
- It may involve alterations in the discrimination between stimuli and their associated reinforcers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of overall reinforcer rate on choice behavior.
- To determine if a quantitative model based on stimulus control can explain these effects.
- To examine choice under changing time-based contingencies with varied reinforcer rates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-key concurrent schedule of reinforcement.
- Manipulated the overall reinforcer rate across different experimental conditions.
- Assessed changes in response bias and stimulus discrimination.
Main Results:
- Changes in overall reinforcer rate led to rapid shifts in response bias.
- Evidence suggested alterations in stimulus discrimination occurred.
- These effects manifested quickly, often within the first session.
Conclusions:
- A stimulus-control approach effectively modeled the observed changes in choice behavior.
- Altered reinforcer frequency in specific contexts changes the stimulus-reinforcer relationship.
- Temporal and spatial discriminations can be understood as discriminations of reinforcers across time and space.
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