Positive behavioral contrast across food and alcohol reinforcers

The present study examined behavioral contrast during concurrent and multiple schedules that provided food and alcohol reinforcers. Concurrent-schedule contrast occurred in the responding reinforced by food when alcohol reinforcers were removed. It also occurred in the responding reinforced by alcohol when food was removed. Multiple-schedule contrast appeared for food when alcohol reinforcers were removed, but not for alcohol when food was removed. These results show that behavioral contrast may, but does not always, occur across qualitatively different reinforcers. They also show that multiple-schedule contrast may be more difficult to produce than concurrent-schedule contrast. The results have implications for a model of alcohol consumption.