Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons^™

The Effects Of Three Schedules Of Reinforcement On Stimulus Generalization, John L. Sanders

Graduate Theses

The effects of three schedules of reinforcement on stimulus generalization in rats were investigated. In the presence of a 2000 hz tone the subjects were trained to bar press on one of three schedules: CRF, VR 25, or VR 50. Three animals started in each condition. After tone/no-tone discrimination training they were tested for generalization. Generalization took.place over six,31.5 minute sessions. This tested the subjects* response rate to each of seven tones: 250 hz, 500 hz, 1000, hz, 2000 hz, 4000 hz, 8000 hz, and 16000 hz. During a 31.5 minute generalization test every tone was presented randomly nine times …

The Effect Of Interpolated Continuous Reinforcement Following Variable Ratio Reinforcement On Resistance To Extinction, Christine Miara

Graduate Theses

The effect on response rates during extinction of interpolating seven continuous reinforcement sessions after varying numbers of VR-25 sessions was investigated. Rats received either seven, fourteen, or twenty-one sessions of a VR-25 schedule followed by seven sessions of continuous reinforcement. There were three rats in each group. The rats then experienced seven sessions of extinction. All sessions were 30 minutes long." The results showed that rats that received the VR-25 schedule for 21 sessions made the roost responses over the seven extinction sessions. * Rats that received seven sessions of VR-25 made the least number of responses during extinction. The …

Relationship Between Attribution And Conditions Of Reward In Children, Rhonda Miles

Graduate Theses

Thirty-eight third grade students were given the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility (lAR) Questionaire in order to determine their internal and external attribution scores. From those scores, 28 subjects were chosen to test the hypothesis by performing two separate but related tasks under the conditions of self-and external rewards. A correlation using the Pearson Product- Moment Correlation Coefficient was computed in order to determine the relation between the subject's attribution level and performance under different conditions of reward. The results showed a higher relationship between attribution and self-reward when self-reward followed external reward. A Chi square test was also computed to determine …

Patterning Of The Electromyographic Response On A Simple Verbal Conditioning Task, Truman G. Reid

Graduate Theses

Twenty-four subjects from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin volunteered to participate in an experiment designed to determine if patterning of EMG responses occur when recorded from the Frontalis, or the Flexors of the preferred arm on a paired-associate verbal conditioning task. Six groups of four subjects each were provided either positive, negative reinforcement, or no reinforcement depending on their respective group. Groups one (PRF), and three (PRA) were positive reinforcement groups. Groups two (NRF), and four (NRA) were provided negative reinforcement. Groups five and six were control groups. Positive and negative reinforcement con sisted of subjects being …

The Effects Of Fixed-Ratio And Fixed-Interval Schedules Of Reinforcement On Generalization Gradients, Christy L. Sutton

Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of fixed-ratio and fixed-interval schedules of reinforcement on generalization gradients. The subjects were four female rats from the Fischer strain. All subjects v/ere conditioned in the presence of a 2000 hz tone to press the bar for reinforcement. Each subject was then trained to one of the following-schedules of reinforcement: FR-5, FR-30, FI-5, or FI-30. After maintenance on this terminal schedule for three days the subjects were tested for generalization. The generalization test consisted of variations in the frequency of the original SD. Response rate was recorded and gradients of …

The Motivation Of Self-Investment, Dan Nunley

Graduate Theses

A game of chance void of feedback was played by 36 adults to determine the motivational properties of various degrees of self-investment. The levels of self-investment were created by altering the extent to which subjects were involved in making one of the symbols used in the game. A practice trial was used to establish each subjects base score and a final trial to determine behavior changes induced by self-investment. The gains between trials yielded significant results (p<.01) due to subject participation in the experimental process.

The Modification Of Smoking Behaviour: A Research Evaluation Of Aversion Therapy, Hypnotherapy, And A Combined Technique, Herman Surkis

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study compared aversion therapy, hypnotherapy, and a combined method. It was predicted that the treatment of imagined behaviour would generalize to overt behaviours. Individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the aversion group with shock contingent on imagined behaviour, and finally the combined group which consisted of traditional hypnotherapy in combination with aversion therapy. The treatments were contained on separate cassettes with each subject receiving his appropriate cassette. Subjects met in groups of 3-5 individuals, twice a week for three weeks. Individuals acted as their own controls through the establishment of a pre-treatment baseline of smoking rate. …

The Runaways, Richard David Young

IUSTITIA

At the present stage of development, the varied literature on runaway children and adolescents provides little basis for firm conclusions. The apparent heterogeneity of runaways has yet to be fully realized in conceptual or research attempts, although efforts in that direction are beginning. There appears to be little utility or meaning in assigning runaway behavior solely to categories of delinquency or psychopathology. Such efforts have done little to clarify the meaning of running away or to define the important environmental factors and personality features involved in running away. To some extent their greatest impact has been on the restriction of …

The Effect Of Pre-Exposure To Sucrose On The Acquisition And Extinction Of A Conditioned Aversion, Shirlee Fenwick

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Twenty-eight female, water deprived rats were given 5 minutes access to sucrose for either 1,7,14, or 21 days. They were then given LiC1 injections every third day until an aversion to the sucrose developed. The results indicated that as amount of pre-exposure to sucrose increased, the number of illnesses required to develop an aversion increased. Also, the rate of extinction of the conditioned aversion was inversely related to the number of exposures required. to establish the aversion.

State-Dependent Learning As A Function Of The Temporal Relationship Between Noncontingent Footshock And Electroconvulsive Shock, T. Scott Shutt

All Master's Theses

Rats were given a noncontingent footshock followed at various intervals by electroconvulsive shock. Twentyfour hours later they were trained on a non-shock passive avoidance task and tested for retention 72 hours later. When the interval between NCFS and ECS was short the animals showed an amnesia which reduced as the interval was lengthened. An interval of .5 seconds produced the most pronounced amnesia and intervals greater than 10 seconds produced virtually no amnesia. The results were consistent with a state dependent retrieval failure hypothesis.

Sub-Aversive Response Contingent Foot Shock As A Positive Reinforcer, Robert Lea Fulwiler

All Master's Theses

Forty-eight rats were divided into 8 groups; four were maintained under normal conditions and the other four under sensory deprivation and tested at o, 3, 6, and 9 days after condition institution. The response was placing the head through a hole in the operant chamber and the stimulus (0, 1.2, 4, or 12 Vac) was contingent upon the response. Analysis ot variance disclosed significant differences (p<.01) between the deprived and the non-deprived groups at days 6 and 9; and a significant interaction between deprivation condition and time of test. No differences were shown between the stimulus intensities indicating that the stimulus did not have a reinforcing effect.

The Effects Of Cs Habituation And Duration Of The Directional Modification Of The Cardiac Response In The Guinea Pig (Cavia Procellus), Ray Charles Larson

All Master's Theses

The present experiment examined the effects of CS habituation and two different levels of CS duration (60 versus 6 sec) on the directional modification of the conditioned cardiac response in the guinea pig. The results indicated that the only reaction to the CS, regardless of prior habituation or CS duration, was a decelerative conditioned HR response. However, habituation to a CS prior to classical aversive conditioning was found to attenuate the magnitude of the bradycardia CR that developed. The bradycardia CR was discussed in terms of being a cardiac component of the orienting response.

Modification Of Deviant Behavior By Parents, Jeanne M. Gabourie

All Master's Theses

It is the purpose of this study (1) to determine if a child's deviant social behaviors can be effectively modified by his own parents; and (2) to determine if parents can be trained to use behavior modification techniques in the home.

Shock Intensity And Task Difficulty As Determiners Of Avoidance And Escape Learning In Rats, Arthur Louis

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Thirty-six naive female hooded rats were divided randomly into three groups and tested in an instrumental escape and avoidance learning situation involving three degrees of task difficulty. Each group was also randomly subdivided into four subgroups, each of which underwent a different shock intensity level. The purpose of this study was to test the Yorkes-Dodson law which states that (a) there is an optimal level of punishment intensity for any given task (or an inverted-U curve relating shock intensity and performance) and (b) this optimal intensity decreases as task difficulty increases. The results supported (a) but not (b).

An Assessment Of The Role Of Information Inherent In Positive And Aversive Social Reinforcement Employing A Finger Maze Task With Male And Female Subjects And Experimenters, Brian Westley Strutt

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Forty-eight male and 48 female grade 12 high school students were assigned in groups of 8 to a 2 (sex of S X 3 (treatment) X 2 (sex of E) factorial design experiment. Each S was presented with a finger maze task under one of three experimental treatments: censure-nothing with S being told “WRONG” for an incorrect response, nothing for a correct response; reward-nothing, with S being told “CORRECT” for a correct response, nothing for an incorrect response; nothing-nothing, with Ss being told nothing for either a correct or incorrect response. The task required that a binary decision be made …

The Concept Of Adaptive Behavior In An Institutional Setting, John C. Jones

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The present study is an attempt to objectify the subjective concept of adaptive behavior and to show the effect of institutionalization upon adaptive behavior.

The development of an Adaptive Behavior Rating Sheet consisting of forty-five items is a major portion of this study.

The Adaptive Behavior Rating Sheet was administered to a sample of ninety patients who, at the time of administration, had been in the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center (PSH&TC) between one year six months and two years six months.

The raw scores were statistically reduced to comply with the five levels of adaptive behavior employed at …

Types Of Behavior During Labor And Delivery And Scores On The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Bette Gloria Winthers

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose of the Study

The thesis of this study is that personality characteristics can be shown as factors in the variation of behavior which occurs during labor and childbirth. It is felt that if personality traits can be measured by a standard device they will correlate with various types of behavior expressed during labor. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is one instrument which tests all of the more important phases of personality. This test was chosen as the device to be used in this study to determine the personality traits of the women involved. Therefore, the purpose of this study …