Determinants of Human Performance on Concurrent Schedules

Abstract

Six experiments, each with 5 human adults, were conducted to investigate the determinants of human performance on multiple concurrent variable-interval schedules. A two-key procedure was employed in which subjects' key presses produced points exchangeable for money. Variables manipulated across experiments were (a) changeover delay (Experiments 2, 4, and 6), (b) ordinal cues related to scheduled reinforcement frequencies (Experiments 3 and 4), and (c) instructions describing the ordinal relations between schedule-correlated stimuli and scheduled reinforcement frequency (Experiments 5 and 6). The performances of only 13 of the 30 subjects could be described by the generalized matching equation and were within a range of values typical of those reported in the animal literature. Eight subjects showed indifference, 9 undermatched, 7 approximated matching, 3 overmatched, and a further 3 responded exclusively to the richer component of the concurrent schedules. These differing modes of responding were closely related to the different types of performance rules reported by subjects in postexperimental questionnaires. The results are in good agreement with those from studies of human performance on single schedules, suggesting that rule-governed behavior, in interaction with contingencies, may be an important determinant of human choice.

An Experimental Analysis of Another Privacy

“…Choices between nonsense syllables and colors were surprisingly accurate for 2 of the 16 subjects (Learner 2 and Instructor 5) in the pretests, and for 4 of 6 instructors (Instructors 1,3,4, and 8) at least in one (on the table or in the cubicle) of the posttests (Figure 2). The possibility of subject contamination (Horne & Lowe, 1993) may have to be considered. Because the correct stimulus combinations were identical for all subjects, if later subjects were given previous notice about the correct alternatives from the former subjects, their performances might be more accurate.…”

Increasing children's fruit and vegetable consumption: a peer-modelling and rewards-based intervention

“…Indeed, behaviour that is governed by an individual's own verbalisations may be more resistant to change than behaviour shaped directly by reward contingencies (Lowe, 1979;Catania et al, 1989;Horne and Lowe, 1993). Thus, the programme materials were designed to encourage children to talk about fruit and vegetables in ways that would help maintain their increased levels of consumption (see Lowe et al, 2004).…”

Integrating Basic and Applied Research and the Utility of Lattal and Perone's Handbook of Research Methods in Human Operant Behavior

“…Of special relevance to application are Mazur's discussions on using concurrent reinforcement schedules to examine different response topographies and reinforcers (e.g., Mace, Neef, Shade, & Mauro, 1994;Neef, Mace, Shea, & Shade, 1992) and on the role of rule governance in choice (e.g., Horne & Lowe, 1993). These sections are meaningful because they acknowledge some of the complexities of analyses of choice in everyday situations (Fuqua, 1984;Mace, 1994).…”

“…For example, when performing tasks like arithmetic and handwriting, a student may be indifferent to favorable and unfavorable reinforcement contingencies (e.g., more or less frequent reinforcers; greater or fewer reinforcers) unless supplemental interventions are used Neef et al, 1992). One such supplemental intervention might involve verbal instructions (along with modeling and differential feedback) to teach a student to self-instruct (''I'll get more points if I do the hard problems and not the easy ones'') while making choices among learning activities (e.g., Stromer et al, 1998; and see Duarte & Baer, 1994;Horne & Lowe, 1993).…”