The quasi-reinforcement effect: The influence of brief stimuli uncorrelated with reinforcement on variable ratio schedules

Reed, Phil; Hall, Geoffrey

doi:10.1016/0023-9690(89)90007-6

Cited by 12 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The brief stimulus appears to at least partially reduce the deleterious effects of a large ratio schedule on response rate. This finding is consistent with the interpretation offered by Reed and Hall (1989).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…That is, such a stimulus appears to reduce the influence of the larger ratio requirement on response rate and choice. The effect of the brief stimulus uncorrelated with reinforcement on these schedules parallels that previously reported by Reed and Hall (1989) for the effects of such a stimulus on simple VR schedules. Reed and Hall found that a simple VR schedule with a stimulus presented partway through the ratio generated much the same response rates as those seen on a simple VR schedule having a response requirement only half as large.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…It is possible that a stimulus that is not temporally contiguous with primary reinforcement will acquire some secondary reinforcing properties, perhaps by signaling a reduction in time to the delivery of primary reinforcement (e.g., Fantino, 1981). 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: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…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.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although rats exposed to a VR schedule having a low ratio requirement (e.g., VR-15) will respond at a lower rate than other subjects given a somewhat larger ratio, such as a VR-30 (see Reed & Hall, 1989), the same may not be true when subjects experience both schedules concurrently. Studies of concurrent VR VR schedules (see de Villiers, 1977, for a review) suggest that more responses will be made on the manipulandum associated with the smaller ratio value, and, when given a choice, animals will behave so as to gain access to the schedule having the lower response requirement.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

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

Reed

Szczudlo

Willis

et al. 1993

Animal Learning & Behavior

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%