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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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Resurgence during transitions from variable- to fixed-interval schedules.

Christian P Yensen1, Tyler D Nighbor1, Jemma E Cook1

  • 1West Virginia University, USA.

Behavioural Processes
|December 20, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Local extinction periods can trigger resurgence in behavior, especially when reinforcement rates decrease. This study observed pigeons, finding that leaner reinforcement schedules during testing increased behavioral resurgence.

Keywords:
ExtinctionFixed-interval schedulesKey-peckingPigeonsResurgence

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Psychology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Operant Conditioning

Background:

  • Behavioral resurgence, the reappearance of previously suppressed behavior, is a key phenomenon in learning.
  • Understanding resurgence is crucial for behavioral modification and therapy.
  • Previous research has explored resurgence under various extinction conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of local extinction periods on behavioral resurgence.
  • To examine how transitions from variable-interval (VI) to fixed-interval (FI) schedules affect resurgence.
  • To determine the relationship between reinforcement rate during testing and the frequency of resurgence.

Main Methods:

  • Four pigeons were exposed to a within-session resurgence procedure.
  • Sessions included Training (VI 60-s), Alternative-Reinforcement (VI 90-s), and Resurgence Test (FI schedules or extinction) phases.
  • Key pecking was the measured response, with reinforcement varying across phases.

Main Results:

  • Behavioral resurgence occurred more frequently under leaner reinforcement schedules in the Resurgence Test phase.
  • The highest rates of resurgence were observed during extinction conditions.
  • Resurgence was inversely related to the rate of reinforcement during the test phase.

Conclusions:

  • Local periods of extinction can indeed elicit behavioral resurgence.
  • The magnitude of resurgence is influenced by the reinforcement density during the test phase.
  • Leaner reinforcement schedules post-extinction amplify resurgence effects.