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Schedule-induced locomotor activity in humans.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|January 1, 1979
Summary
Schedule-induced locomotor activity was observed in humans, similar to nonhumans. Behavior patterns emerged under fixed-time schedules, demonstrating that activity can be induced by token delivery.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral psychology
- Human operant conditioning
Background:
- Previous research has established schedule-induced behavior in nonhuman animals.
- Understanding human schedule-induced behavior requires examining activity patterns under controlled schedules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate schedule-induced locomotor activity in humans.
- To compare human behavioral responses to those observed in nonhuman animals under similar schedules.
Main Methods:
- Humans participated in two experiments involving token delivery on fixed-interval or fixed-time schedules.
- Locomotor activity was recorded and analyzed within interreinforcement intervals.
Main Results:
- Locomotor activity rates were higher during intervals ending with token delivery.
- Shorter fixed-time schedules (16 seconds) induced higher activity rates than longer ones (80 or 140 seconds).
- Activity rates decreased within interreinforcement intervals and were induced by both response-dependent and response-nondependent token delivery.
Conclusions:
- Locomotor activity can be induced in humans through schedule control, mirroring findings in nonhuman subjects.
- The rate and temporal patterning of human locomotor activity are susceptible to schedule-induced effects.