Mauro, B. C., & Mace, F. C. (1996).
Differences in the effect of pavlovian contingencies upon behavioral momentum using auditory versus visual stimuli.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
65, 389-399.
We examined the role of Pavlovian and operant relations in
behavioral momentum by arranging response-contingent alternative
reinforcement in one component of a three-component multiple
concurrent schedule with rats. This permitted the simultaneous
arranging of different response - reinforcer (operant) and
stimulus - reinforcer (Pavlovian) contingencies during three
baseline conditions. Auditory or visual stimuli were used as
discriminative stimuli within the multiple concurrent schedules.
Resistance to change of a target response was assessed during a
single session of extinction following each baseline condition.
The rate of the target response during baseline varied inversely
with the rate of response-contingent reinforcement derived from a
concurrent source, regardless of whether the discriminative
stimuli were auditory or visual. Resistance to change of the
target response, however, did depend on the
discriminative-stimulus modality. Resistance to change in the
presence of visual stimuli was a positive function of the
Pavlovian contingencies, whereas resistance to change was
unrelated to either the operant or Pavlovian contingencies when
the discriminative stimuli were auditory. Stimulus salience may
be a factor in determining the differences in resistance to
change across sensory modalities.
Key words: behavioral momentum, resistance to extinction,
alternative reinforcement, multiple concurrent schedules,
salience, lever press, rats