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Response-independent events in the behavior stream
K A Lattal1, J Abreu-Rodrigues
1Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown 26506-6040, USA.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|February 12, 1998
Summary
Introducing response-independent food into a pigeon
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Animal Behavior
- Operant Conditioning
Background:
- The behavior stream metaphor aids in understanding how external events affect ongoing behavior.
- Operant responding in pigeons is often maintained by variable-interval schedules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of response-independent food presentations on operant responding in pigeons.
- To identify variables controlling response patterns when external food is introduced.
Main Methods:
- Pigeons were exposed to variable-interval schedules of reinforcement.
- Response-independent food was presented according to fixed-time or fixed-interval schedules.
- Concurrent schedules and discriminative stimuli were used in later experiments.
Main Results:
- Response rates decreased when response-independent food was introduced.
- Response patterns varied (accelerated, linear) depending on schedule specifics.
- Correlating schedules with stimuli or operanda led to consistent negatively accelerated patterns.
Conclusions:
- Both reinforcement variables and discriminative stimuli influence how response-independent events affect behavior streams.
- The physical separation and ratio of schedules are critical factors.
- Understanding these dynamics is key to predicting behavioral changes.
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