Pause and rate effects in multiple-reinforcement fixed ratio schedules

Mintz, Donald E.; Mourer, Dennis J.; Weinberg, Laura S.

doi:10.3758/bf03328104

Cited by 4 publications

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“…It has been demonstrated consistently that the latency of the first response after reinforcement (post-reinforcement pause) increases as the size of the fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement (FR) is increased (Kaplan, 1956;Ferster and Skinner, 1957;Premack, Schaeffer, and Hundt, 1964; Thompson, 1964; Winograd, 1965;Felton and Lyon, 1966;Mintz, Mourer, and Weinberg, 1966;Mintz, Mourer, and Gofseyeff, 1967;Powell, 1968). The mean response rate, exclusive of the post-reinforcement pause, does not show a consistent relationship to the FR response requirement (Felton and Lyon, 1966;Powell, 1968).…”

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THE EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE UPON RESPONDING UNDER FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES¹

Powell

1969

J Exper Analysis Behavior

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Responding under fixed-ratio schedules was studied as a function of two durations of food presentation. Latency of the first response after food presentation (post-reinforcement pause) was consistently shorter when food was presented for the longer duration. Only one of the four pigeons studied showed a consistently higher response rate, exclusive of post-reinforcement pause, as a function of the longer access to food. When ratio size was reduced, pause durations decreased, and the differences related to the two durations of food presentations became progressively smaller.It has been demonstrated consistently that the latency of the first response after reinforcement (post-reinforcement pause) increases as the size of the fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement (FR) is increased (Kaplan, 1956;Ferster and Skinner, 1957;Premack, Schaeffer, and Hundt, 1964; Thompson, 1964;Winograd, 1965;Felton and Lyon, 1966;Mintz, Mourer, and Weinberg, 1966;Mintz, Mourer, and Gofseyeff, 1967;Powell, 1968). The mean response rate, exclusive of the post-reinforcement pause, does not show a consistent relationship to the FR response requirement (Felton and Lyon, 1966;Powell, 1968).The relationship between reinforcement magnitude and responding under FR schedules has been studied by varying the ratio requirement while the duration of each food presentation remained constant. The relationship could be elaborated further by varying duration of food presentation while the FR requirement remained constant. While it has been found in several experiments that response rates were relatively insensitive to changes in reinforcement magnitude (Keesey and Kling, 1961;Catania, 1963;Neuringer, 1967), one study (Powell, 1968) ProcedureThe independent variable was the duration of reinforcement, i.e., the time that the pigeon was permitted access to a grain mixture of 60% kafir, 30% vetch, and 10% hemp. The three naive pigeons were initially trained to key peck in the presence of a white 605 1969, 12,[605][606][607][608] NUMBER 4 (JULY)

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THE EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE UPON RESPONDING UNDER FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES¹

Powell

1969

J Exper Analysis Behavior

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“…FR length (Boren, 1961), response effort (Notterman & Mintz, 1965), drive level (Sidman & stebbins, 1954), and number of reinforcements (Mintz, Mourer, & Weinberg, 1966a) are a few among the variety of variables shown systematically to affect pause duration.…”

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Sequential effects in fixed-ratio postreinf orcement pause duration

1967

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Pigeons were rnn on fixed ratio schedules that alternated between pairs of long and pairs of short ratios. Length of ratio was differentially cued. The longest pause in response preceded the longer ratio. However, sequential effects were observed. These suggested a contrast effect rather than a direct relation between amount of responding preceding a pause and pause duration.The postreinforcement pause (PRP) has frequently been shown to be the property of behavior controlled by fixed-ratio (FR) scheduies-reinforcement of every nth response-most sensitive to experimental manipuiation. FR length (Boren, 1961), response effort (Notterman & Mintz, 1965), drive level (Sidman & stebbins, 1954), and number of reinforcements (Mintz, Mourer, & Weinberg, 1966a) are a few among the variety of variables shown systematically to affect pause duration.Since both effort of individual response, and the number of responses in the FR exert great influence on pause duration, total energy expenditure in achieving reinforcement suggests itself as an important determinant of pausing. However, the reguiarity of the FR scheduie, as opposed to, say, a variable ratio (VR) averaging equal length, is also important. Ferster & Skinner (1957) suggest a discriminative basis for the PRP. Response is least likely when its contingent reinforcement is least likely. Extensive training on FR establishes the reinforcement itself as the stimuius systematically preceding the lowest probability of subsequent reinforcement.Further evidence· for the importance of stimuius control in the FR performance has been shown in chained scheduies or related procedures where different stimuii are reguiarly correlated with different component responses in the sequence leading to reinforcement (Ferster & Skinner, 1957;Thomas, 1964;Mintz, Mourer, & Weinberg, 1966b). In general, when the S is provided with exteroceptive stimuii correlated with the beginning of the FR sequence, control of the behavior is weaker than when cues that have been related to closer proximity to reinforcement are presented.The present study is concerned with an analysis of PRP duration as it is influenced by FR length. The PRP occurs when one FR cycle has just been completed and a new one has begun. Our interest is to isolate the effects of the length of the preceding and the present FR on this pause.Psychon. Sci., 1967, Vol. 9 (7 A) MethodThe Ss were two aduit male White Carneaux pigeons. S24 was experimentally naive and S10 had a prior history of FR reinforcement on a white key. Both Ss were maintained at 80% of their ad lib feeding weights.The apparatus was a standard Lehigh Valley two key operant chamber for pigeons; only the right hand key was used.Both birds were run on two-component muitiple FR scheduies that followed a fixed pattern. Pairs of each ratio length were reguiarly alternated. For S10 the pattern was FR50-FR50-FR20-FR20 etc; S24 ran on FR40-FR40-FR20-FR20 etc. The longer FR was cued by a red key light, the shorter by a green key light for both Ss. During the 3.5 sec periods of ...

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“…Although comparisons of absolute magnitude of effect are difficult to evaluate, it would appear that behavior-contingent schedule changes may be more potent than changes in the magnitude of food reinforcement. Several studies (Keesey & Kling, 1961;Mintz, Mourer, & Weinberg, 1966) have shown relatively little change in FR pausing (in multiple schedules) as a function of reinforcement magnitude or number. However, the present data provided as large as fourfold differences in pause duration for a given FR, depending on the quantitative and sequential relation of this FR to the schedule paired with it.…”

Section: Pausing In Multiple Fr Schedules 133mentioning

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Pausing in multiple fixed- ratio schedules

Mintz

1976

Bull. Psychon. Soc.

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Pigeons were maintained on multiple fixed-ratio schedules with food reinforcement for a keypeck response. A regular pattern of short-short-Iong-Iong-etc. was employed for the fixed-ratio sequence within a session. Pausing following reinforcement was shown to be determined by the length of the forthcoming fixed ratio. the relation of this fixed-ratio length to the schedule paired with it. and the place of the fixed ratio in the patterned sequence. The sequential effect indicated shorter pauses for a given fixed ratio when its completion would be followed by the shorter fixed ratio. and longer pausing at the point of transition from a shorter to a longer fixed ratio.The performance generated by a particular schedule of reinforcement can be influenced by other schedules in the total test situation. These schedule interactions (Reynolds, 1961a, b) indicate that relations among conditions of reinforcement are important in determining the performance generated by each individual schedule in the set of procedures employed. Nevin and Shettleworth (1966), Pliskoff (1961Pliskoff ( , 1963, Staddon (I 969), and Wilton and Gay (1969) have all produced evidence that the pattern or sequence of schedules contributes to interactive effects. Enhanced effects or schedule interaction have been shown at the point of schedule change (Azrin, 1960) or interface of stimuli related to differenl schedules (Catania & Gill, 1964).Effects in postreinforcement pausing on fixed-ratio (FR) schedules related to the sequence of schedule presentation have been demonstrated by Mintz, Mourer, and Gofseyeff (1967). In the multiple FR schedules they employed (FRs of different length, each distinctively cued), the pause duration related primarily to the length of the forthcoming FR. Interaction manifested itself in differences between pausing following changes to, as opposed to repetitions of, a given FR. The present study extends this earlier investigation to quantitative manipulation of FR length. The analysis is aimed both at a clearer formulation of the determinants of FR pausing and a further examination of how the specific context contributes to schedule interaction. METHOD SubjectsTwo mature male white Carneaux pigeons were used as subjects. Both were maintained at 80% of their free-feeding weights. Both were experimentally naive prior to the study. Water was continuously available both in the home cage and the test environment. A standard grain mixture of 50% kaffir, 40% vetch, and 10% hemp was used for reinforcement.This research was supported in part by a grant from The City University of New York Faculty Research Program. Requests for reprints should be sent to Donald E. Mintz, Department of Psychology, City College of New York, New York 10031. ApparatusA Lehigh Valley two-key operant chamber for pigeons (Model 1519-2) was used, with only the right-hand key in operation. A force of approximately .15 N was required to operate the key. White noise was provided to mask apparatus sounds. The measurement of time intervals reported was accompli...

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Pause and rate effects in multiple-reinforcement fixed ratio schedules

Cited by 4 publications

References 5 publications

THE EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE UPON RESPONDING UNDER FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES¹

THE EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE UPON RESPONDING UNDER FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES¹

Sequential effects in fixed-ratio postreinf orcement pause duration

Pausing in multiple fixed- ratio schedules

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Pause and rate effects in multiple-reinforcement fixed ratio schedules

Cited by 4 publications

References 5 publications

THE EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE UPON RESPONDING UNDER FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES1

THE EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE UPON RESPONDING UNDER FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES1

Sequential effects in fixed-ratio postreinf orcement pause duration

Pausing in multiple fixed- ratio schedules

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THE EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE UPON RESPONDING UNDER FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES¹

THE EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT MAGNITUDE UPON RESPONDING UNDER FIXED‐RATIO SCHEDULES¹