Loading...
The effects of reinforcer magnitude in the preceding and upcoming ratios on between-ratio pausing in multiple fixed-ratio schedules
Abstract
Experiment 1 examined the effects of reinforcer magnitude in the preceding and upcoming ratios on between-ratio pausing during a range of FR values in a multiple FR FR schedule of reinforcement. Two components which were associated with two different discriminative stimuli were used, where one component was associated with a small reinforcer (1-s) and the other component was associated with a large reinforcer (6-s). The longest between-ratio pauses were found when the upcoming reinforcer was small (S-S and L-S transition) than when the upcoming reinforcer was large (S-L and L-L transition). In addition, consistently longer between-ratio pauses occurred when the preceding reinforcer was large and the upcoming reinforcer was small (L-S transition). Experiment 2 examined the effects of the past reinforcer magnitude on the between-ratio pause when the discriminative stimuli to differentiate the preceding and upcoming reinforcer magnitude was removed, during a range of FR values on a multiple FR FR schedule of reinforcement. When the past reinforcer magnitude had been small and the upcoming reinforcer was small or large (S-S and S-L transition) consistently shorter between-ratio pauses occurred. In comparison, when the past reinforcer had been large and the upcoming reinforcer was small or large (L-L and L-S transition) consistently longer pause durations occurred across the two transitions. Overall and running response rates were analysed in Experiments 1 and 2 and it was found that overall and running response rates consistently decreased as the FR values were increased. Overall, these experiments showed that the preceding and upcoming reinforcer magnitudes have a direct effect on the length of the between-ratio pause where increasing the FR value was observed to consistently increase the length of the between-ratio pause, when also compared across the four transitions (Small-Small, Small-Large, Large-Large, and Large-Small).
Type
Thesis
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Young, R. (2015). The effects of reinforcer magnitude in the preceding and upcoming ratios on between-ratio pausing in multiple fixed-ratio schedules (Thesis, Master of Applied Psychology (MAppPsy)). University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/9622
Date
2015
Publisher
University of Waikato
Supervisors
Rights
All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.