Effects of Fixed‐time Shocks and Brief Stimuli on Food‐maintained Behavior of Rats

Keenan, Michael; Leslie, Julian C.

doi:10.1901/jeab.1981.36-353

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…Although there is nothing in the present data that would discount such a hypothesis, it is worth noting that Reed and Hall (1989) have demonstrated that a stimulus presented midway through a ratio schedule tends to acquire Pavlovian conditioned inhibitory properties. This finding, coupled with others that have established that the hedonic properties of the brief stimulus appear to have little influence on its function (e.g., Keenan & Leslie, 1981), suggests that brief stimuli imposed midway through a schedule requirement do not exert their influence through a mechanism of conditioned reinforcement.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

The influence of brief stimuli uncorrelated with reinforcement on choice between variable-ratio schedules

Reed

Szczudlo

Willis

et al. 1993

Animal Learning & Behavior

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Experiment 1 investigated the behavior of rats trained to leverpress on a concurrent variable ratio (VR) 30 VR-30 schedule with a brief, 500-msec, light occurring at the midpoint of the ratio on one ofthe levers. Higher response rates were recorded on the lever associated with this stimulus, a finding that paralleled the effect produced by inserting primary reinforcement at the midpoint (i.e., by training on a concurrent VR-30 VR-15 scheduler-Similar results were found in Experiment 2 using a concurrent VR-20 VR-20 schedule with a 2-sec visual stimulus presented midway through one of the components. In addition, a brief stimulus inserted midway through the VR-20 component of a concurrent VR-20 VR-IO schedule retarded the development of a difference in response rates between the components relative to a VR-20 VR-IO group lacking the signal. In Experiment 3, multiple VR VR schedules were used. Again, the response rate was higher in the component that had the added stimulus or, for a second group of subjects, on the component with the smaller response requirement. Probe-choice trials revealed a preference for the component that generated the higher rate in both groups. Presenting a stimulus partway through a ratio appears to reduce the effect on response rate and choice of a large ratio value.In a study of performance on variable-ratio (VR) schedules, Reed and Hall (1989) compared response rates shown by rats trained on a simple VR-30 schedule with response rates shown on a schedule that differed only in that a brief, response-eontingent stimulus (a tone) was presented midway through each ratio. The latter procedure produced a much lower rate of responding, and one almost identical to that recorded for subjects trained on a simple VR-15 schedule. Reed and Hall interpreted this result as being an instance of quasi-reinforcement (Neuringer & Chung, 1967). This notion suggests that presenting the brief stimulus midway through the ratio effectively creates a second-order schedule with two VR-15 components, with completion of the first resulting in the presentation of the tone and completion of the second resulting in primary reinforcement. In the Reed and Hall study, presentation of the tone midway through the ratio produced much the same behavior as would be expected from presenting primary reinforcement in this position. Similar effects have been reported for second-order fixed-ratio (FR) schedules (e.g., Cohen & Calisto, 1981) and for second-order interval schedules (e.g

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

The influence of brief stimuli uncorrelated with reinforcement on choice between variable-ratio schedules

Reed

Szczudlo

Willis

et al. 1993

Animal Learning & Behavior

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show abstract

“…In fact, Reed and Hall (1989) have demonstrated that such cues can serve as quasi-reinforcers despite having conditioned inhibitory properties themselves. When this finding is coupled with the results from studies in which electric shocks have been found to serve as quasi-reinforcers (e.g., Byrd, 1969;Keenan & Leslie, 1981;Kelleher & Morse, 1968), it is apparent that the hedonic properties of the cue itself have little bearing on its function, but rather that its relation to the operative schedule is critical in determining its influence on behavior. Given these findings, it may be better to speak of the response-enhancing properties of such brief stimuli rather than of their conditioned-reinforcing properties.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Within-Subject Testing of the Signaled-Reinforcement Effect on Operant Responding as Measured by Response Rate and Resistance to Change

Reed

Doughty

2005

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

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Response rates under random-interval schedules are lower when a brief (500 ms) signal accompanies reinforcement than when there is no signal. The present study examined this signaled-reinforcement effect and its relation to resistance to change. In Experiment 1, rats responded on a multiple random-interval 60-s random-interval 60-s schedule, with signaled reinforcement in only one component. Response resistance to alternative reinforcement, prefeeding, and extinction was compared between these components. Lower response rates, and greater resistance to change, occurred in the component with the reinforcement signal. In Experiment 2, response rates and resistance to change were compared after training on a multiple random-interval 60-s random-interval 60-s schedule in which reinforcer delivery was unsignaled in one component and a response-produced uncorrelated stimulus was presented in the other component. Higher response rates and greater resistance to change occurred with the uncorrelated stimulus. These results highlight the significance of considering the effects of an uncorrelated signal when used as a control condition, and challenge accounts of resistance to change that depend solely on reinforcer rate.

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Second-Order Schedules

Keenan¹

1986

Psychol Rec

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Effects of Fixed‐time Shocks and Brief Stimuli on Food‐maintained Behavior of Rats

Cited by 6 publications

References 17 publications

The influence of brief stimuli uncorrelated with reinforcement on choice between variable-ratio schedules

The influence of brief stimuli uncorrelated with reinforcement on choice between variable-ratio schedules

Within-Subject Testing of the Signaled-Reinforcement Effect on Operant Responding as Measured by Response Rate and Resistance to Change

Second-Order Schedules

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