Foster, T. M., Blackman, K. A., & Temple, W. (1997).
Open versus closed economies: Performance of domestic hens under fixed-ratio schedules.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
67, 67-89.
Domestic hens responded under fixed-ratio schedules of food
(wheat) reinforcement under several experimental conditions. Part
1 (open economy) investigated performance on fixed-ratio
schedules over both multisession steady-state conditions and
daily changes of the schedule, with hens maintained at 80% of
free-feeding weights by extraexperimental feeding. In Parts 2 and
3 (closed economy and short sessions) sessions were 40 min long,
and the hens' weights were allowed to vary (Part 2) or sessions
were conducted only when the hens were at approximately 80% of
free-feeding weights (Part 3). In Part 4 (closed economy and long
sessions) sessions were 24 hr long and the fixed-ratio
requirement was changed either daily or after 7 consecutive days.
In general, the daily changes of fixed-ratio requirement in the
open economy and short-session closed economy gave much the same
result as the steady-state open-economy sessions. Overall
response and reinforcer rates decreased with increasing
fixed-ratio requirement (except at the shortest fixed ratios).
Running response rates decreased, and postreinforcement pauses
generally increased. In contrast, overall response rates in the
long-session closed economy generally increased with the
fixed-ratio requirement. Session length is suggested as a cause
of the differences between the short- and long-session
closed-economy results.
Key words: open and closed economies, fixed-ratio schedules,
session length, behavioral economics, key peck, hens