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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Preference Under Concurrent Mixed Fixed-Ratio Fixed-Ratio Schedules Of Reinforcement: Control By Intracomponent Ratio Length, Earl Hall-Johnson
Preference Under Concurrent Mixed Fixed-Ratio Fixed-Ratio Schedules Of Reinforcement: Control By Intracomponent Ratio Length, Earl Hall-Johnson
Masters Theses
Previous studies using concurrent variable-interval variable interval schedules have suggested that molar, not molecular variables primarily control choice responding. These studies examined pigeons performance under discrete-trial concurrent mixed fixed-ratio fixed-ratio schedules of reinforcement. When each alternative provided two reinforcements per 100 responses, pigeons preferred the alternative containing the shorter initial fixed-ratio. Subsequent studies attempted to shift preference through manipulations of ratio requirement and reinforcement duration in either alternative. Preference was shifted from the mixed fixed-ratio fixed-ratio only when the reinforcement associated with the first component was eliminated. Under all other conditions, pigeons preferred the mixed fixed-ratio fixed-ratio schedules with the …
The Effects Of Caffeine Alone, And In Combination With Nicotine, On Several Behaviors In Rats, Judith S. Devoe
The Effects Of Caffeine Alone, And In Combination With Nicotine, On Several Behaviors In Rats, Judith S. Devoe
Masters Theses
Several doses of caffeine-sodium benzoate (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 & 20.0 mg/kg, stated as salt) were administered daily by intraperitoneal injections (IP) for an initial twelve consecutive days which constituted Phase I. A probe-dose of nicotine (2.0 mg/kg) was administered in combination with each caffeine dose for the following seven days comprising Phase II. Removal of nicotine subsequent to the last day of Phase II initiated a second caffeine-only (nicotine withdrawal) condition, Phase III. Tests of locomotion and aggression ensued at various points of the study and water intakes and body weights were recorded daily, prior to injections. Overall, locomotion …
The Role Of Automatic Conditioned Reinforcement And Automatic Conditioned Punishment In Infant Vocal Behavior, Rick A. Smith
The Role Of Automatic Conditioned Reinforcement And Automatic Conditioned Punishment In Infant Vocal Behavior, Rick A. Smith
Masters Theses
Two female children, aged 11 and 14 months, were exposed to a procedure in which an experimenter-emitted vocal response was paired with a reinforcing stimulus (positive condition), a neutral stimulus (neutral condition), or a mild aversive stimulus (negative condition). An AB design was utilized to examine the effects of the pairing procedure on the subjects* vocal responding. Sessions were conducted in each subject’s home. Only one subject was exposed to the pairing with a neutral (control) stimulus, and with the mild aversive verbal stimulus. Responding during the post-pairing period remained constant in the neutral condition, but was markedly reduced in …
The Repeated Acquisition Procedure As A Means Of Analyzing Instructional Stimulus Control And Rule-Directed Behavior, Jeffrey S. Danforth
The Repeated Acquisition Procedure As A Means Of Analyzing Instructional Stimulus Control And Rule-Directed Behavior, Jeffrey S. Danforth
Masters Theses
Pre-school children were taught to emit four-response chains using the repeated acquisition design. Experiment 1 examined the effect of instructional stimuli. Many errors were made in Control Learning, followed by few errors in Control Relearning. Instructional cues resulted in few errors in the morning learning session, but many relearning errors were made. Experiment 2A determined if two-trial cuing with instructional stimuli would improve relearning performance. The result was fewer relearning errors, but the criterion required more learning trials. In Experiment 2B a rule was taught relevant to two-trial cuing. In Experiment 3 a child was told that the morning and …
Eliminating Overselective Stimulus Control: A Comparison Of Two Procedures For Teaching Mentally Retarded Children To Respond To Compound Stimuli, Keith D. Allen
Masters Theses
Overselective stimulus control occurs when behavior fails to come under control of all characteristics of a compound stimulus after discrimination training. The efficacy of two procedures designed to eliminate overselective stimulus control observed with six trainable mentally retarded children was compared in Experiment 1. A training procedure using S-'s which were minimally different from the S+ was designed to reduce the probability that stimulus discriminations could be based on stimulus characteristics othre than experiimenter specified characteristics defining the S+. This procedure proved more effective in preventing and eliminating overselective stimulus control than an alternate discrimination training procedure. Experiment 2 indicated …