Multiple schedules of conjugate reinforcement and extinction: A translational model for assessing automatically reinforced behavior

Abstract

This study evaluated the extent to which a conjugate reinforcement schedule (CONJ) involving a contingency between pedaling a stationary bike and viewing a preferred movie could serve as a translational preparation for the analysis of automatically reinforced behavior. In part, researchers examined whether providing participants with either an accurate or an inaccurate rule about the extinction (EXT) component of a multiple schedule (MULT) contributed to the development of control by the MULT (CONJ EXT) schedule. Results show schedule control emerged for four of five participants who received the accurate rule and none of the five participants who received the inaccurate rule. In addition, participants who received accurate rules typically increased pedaling during CONJ components that followed two consecutive EXT components, suggesting that they experienced deprivation for audio and visual stimulation generated by pedaling. These preliminary findings suggest that researchers could use this translational preparation to identify matched interventions for some automatically reinforced behavior.

Comparing stimulus preference and response force in a conjugate preparation: A replication with auditory stimulation

“…Recently, researchers have developed dynamic conjugate preparations for translational (e.g., Davis et al, 2021;Falligant et al, 2018Falligant et al, , 2020MacAleese et al, 2015;Peterson et al, 2024) and applied (Curiel et al, 2023;Deochand et al, 2020;Diaz de Villegas et al, 2020;McHugh et al, 2022) studies. Briefly summarized, results from MacAleese et al (2015), Curiel et al, 2023;Falligant et al (2018Falligant et al ( , 2020, and Deochand et al (2020) illustrate how (a) behavior under conjugate schedules changes reliably to various auditory and visual stimulus events and (b) extinction of conjugately reinforced behavior gives rise to dynamic changes in response rate and response force.…”

“…Several studies have evaluated conjugate arrangements in the context of operant assessments; that is, researchers provided auditory stimulation as a consequence in either a conjugate schedule (Falligant et al, 2018(Falligant et al, , 2020Peterson et al, 2024;Saunders et al, 2001) or a conjugate variation, such as a synchronous schedule (e.g., Diaz de Villegas et al, 2020;Leslie et al, 2023;McHugh et al, 2022). To our knowledge, no study has evaluated a brief conjugate preparation for identifying relative preference for music using response force as the primary dimensional measure.…”

Assessing stimulus preference using response force in a conjugate preparation: A replication and extension

“…For example, when an individual pedals a bicycle, the speed at which the bicycle moves and the corresponding visual and proprioceptive stimulus change are directly proportional to the force that individual applies to the pedals. Since Lindsley's (1956Lindsley's ( , 1957 original conjugate preparations, researchers have fashioned a variety of simple and dynamic conjugate preparations to (a) examine the motor development of infants (Rovee & Rovee, 1969;Siqueland & Delucia, 1969), (b) increase social therapeutic behavior in adults (Lindsley, 1963;Nathan et al, 1964Nathan et al, , 1968), (c) increase exercise behavior (Caouette & Reid, 1991;Deochand et al, 2020), and (d) assess stereotypical behavior of individuals with intellectual disabilities (Peterson et al, 2024;Rapp et al, 2004;Switzky & Haywood, 1973).…”

“…Several applied and translational studies have shown the potential of synchronous and conjugate schedules for evaluating stimulus preference and the efficacy of those stimuli to serve as reinforcers (Cook et al, 2024;Curiel et al, 2024;Davis et al, 2021;Diaz de Villegas et al, 2020;Falligant et al, 2018Falligant et al, , 2020MacAleese et al, 2015;Peterson et al, 2024; see also Pel aez-Nogueras et al, 1996). Davis et al (2021) used a conjugate preparation to measure 54 college students' preferences for pictorial stimuli.…”