Abstract
Observing responses by pigeons were studied during sessions in which a food key and an observing key were available continuously. A variable‐interval schedule and extinction alternated randomly on the food key. In one condition, food‐key pecking during extinction decreased reinforcement frequency during the next variable‐interval component, and in the other condition such pecking did not affect reinforcement frequency. Observing responses either changed both keylight colors from white to green (S+) or to red (S‐) depending on the condition on the food key, or the observing responses never produced the S+ but produced the S‐ when extinction was in effect on the food key. Observing responses that produced only S‐ were maintained only when food‐key pecking during extinction decreased reinforcement frequency in the subsequent variable‐interval component. The red light conformed to conventional definitions of a negative discriminative stimulus, rendering results counter to previous findings that production of S‐ alone does not maintain observing. Rather than offering support for an informational account of conditioned reinforcement, the results are discussed in terms of a molar analysis to account for how stimuli acquire response‐maintaining properties. 1989 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 335-339 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 1989 |
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Keywords
- S‐
- adjusting contingencies
- conditioned reinforcement
- information
- key peck
- observing responses
- pigeons
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Cite this
ON CONDITIONED REINFORCING EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE DISCRIMINATIVE STIMULI. / Allen, Keith D.; Lattal, Kennon A.
In: Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, Vol. 52, No. 3, 11.1989, p. 335-339.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - ON CONDITIONED REINFORCING EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE DISCRIMINATIVE STIMULI
AU - Allen, Keith D.
AU - Lattal, Kennon A.
PY - 1989/11
Y1 - 1989/11
N2 - Observing responses by pigeons were studied during sessions in which a food key and an observing key were available continuously. A variable‐interval schedule and extinction alternated randomly on the food key. In one condition, food‐key pecking during extinction decreased reinforcement frequency during the next variable‐interval component, and in the other condition such pecking did not affect reinforcement frequency. Observing responses either changed both keylight colors from white to green (S+) or to red (S‐) depending on the condition on the food key, or the observing responses never produced the S+ but produced the S‐ when extinction was in effect on the food key. Observing responses that produced only S‐ were maintained only when food‐key pecking during extinction decreased reinforcement frequency in the subsequent variable‐interval component. The red light conformed to conventional definitions of a negative discriminative stimulus, rendering results counter to previous findings that production of S‐ alone does not maintain observing. Rather than offering support for an informational account of conditioned reinforcement, the results are discussed in terms of a molar analysis to account for how stimuli acquire response‐maintaining properties. 1989 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
AB - Observing responses by pigeons were studied during sessions in which a food key and an observing key were available continuously. A variable‐interval schedule and extinction alternated randomly on the food key. In one condition, food‐key pecking during extinction decreased reinforcement frequency during the next variable‐interval component, and in the other condition such pecking did not affect reinforcement frequency. Observing responses either changed both keylight colors from white to green (S+) or to red (S‐) depending on the condition on the food key, or the observing responses never produced the S+ but produced the S‐ when extinction was in effect on the food key. Observing responses that produced only S‐ were maintained only when food‐key pecking during extinction decreased reinforcement frequency in the subsequent variable‐interval component. The red light conformed to conventional definitions of a negative discriminative stimulus, rendering results counter to previous findings that production of S‐ alone does not maintain observing. Rather than offering support for an informational account of conditioned reinforcement, the results are discussed in terms of a molar analysis to account for how stimuli acquire response‐maintaining properties. 1989 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
KW - S‐
KW - adjusting contingencies
KW - conditioned reinforcement
KW - information
KW - key peck
KW - observing responses
KW - pigeons
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84985143824&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84985143824&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1901/jeab.1989.52-335
DO - 10.1901/jeab.1989.52-335
M3 - Article
C2 - 16812600
AN - SCOPUS:84985143824
VL - 52
SP - 335
EP - 339
JO - Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
JF - Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
SN - 0022-5002
IS - 3
ER -