TY - JOUR
T1 - Within-trial contrast
T2 - The effect of probability of reinforcement in training
AU - Gipson, Cassandra D.
AU - Miller, Holly C.
AU - Alessandri, Jérôme J.D.
AU - Zentall, Thomas R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant 63726.
PY - 2009/10
Y1 - 2009/10
N2 - There is evidence that pigeons prefer conditioned reinforcers that are preceded by greater effort over those that are preceded by less effort (an effect that has been attributed to within-trial contrast). In past research the probability of reinforcement for correct choice of the conditioned reinforcer has been 100%, however, the high level of reinforcement for both alternatives in training may result in a performance ceiling when choice between those alternatives is provided on test trials. In the present study we tested this hypothesis by including a group for which the probability of reinforcement in training was only 50%. Pigeons were trained on two simultaneous discriminations, one that was preceded by a 30 peck requirement the other by a single peck requirement. On test trials, we found a significant preference for the S+ that required the greater effort in training for pigeons trained with 100% and a small but nonsignificant effect for pigeons trained with 50% reinforcement. Although the hypothesis that the within-trial contrast effect was constrained by a performance ceiling was not confirmed, we did find a reliable within-trial contrast effect with 100% reinforcement.
AB - There is evidence that pigeons prefer conditioned reinforcers that are preceded by greater effort over those that are preceded by less effort (an effect that has been attributed to within-trial contrast). In past research the probability of reinforcement for correct choice of the conditioned reinforcer has been 100%, however, the high level of reinforcement for both alternatives in training may result in a performance ceiling when choice between those alternatives is provided on test trials. In the present study we tested this hypothesis by including a group for which the probability of reinforcement in training was only 50%. Pigeons were trained on two simultaneous discriminations, one that was preceded by a 30 peck requirement the other by a single peck requirement. On test trials, we found a significant preference for the S+ that required the greater effort in training for pigeons trained with 100% and a small but nonsignificant effect for pigeons trained with 50% reinforcement. Although the hypothesis that the within-trial contrast effect was constrained by a performance ceiling was not confirmed, we did find a reliable within-trial contrast effect with 100% reinforcement.
KW - Partial reinforcement
KW - Pigeons
KW - Simultaneous discrimination
KW - Within-trial contrast
KW - Work ethic
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U2 - 10.1016/j.beproc.2009.05.006
DO - 10.1016/j.beproc.2009.05.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 19607889
AN - SCOPUS:68549083338
SN - 0376-6357
VL - 82
SP - 126
EP - 132
JO - Behavioural processes
JF - Behavioural processes
IS - 2
ER -