Davison, M., & Elliffe, D. (2000).
Travel time and concurrent-schedule choice: Retrospective versus prospective control.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
73, 65-77.
Six pigeons were trained on concurrent variable-interval
schedules in which two different travel times between
alternatives, 4.5 and 0.5 s, were randomly arranged. In Part 1,
the next travel time was signaled while the subjects were
responding on each alternative. Generalized matching analyses of
performance in the presence of the two travel-time signals showed
significantly higher response and time sensitivity when the
longer travel time was signaled compared to when the shorter time
was signaled. When the data were analyzed as a function of the
previous travel time, there were no differences in sensitivity.
Dwell times on the alternatives were consistently longer in the
presence of the stimulus that signaled the longer travel time
than they were in the presence of the stimulus that signaled the
shorter travel time. These results are in accord with a recent
quantitative account of the effects of travel time. In Part 2, no
signals indicating the next travel time were given. When these
data were analyzed as a function of the previous travel time,
time- allocation sensitivity after the 4.5-s travel time was
significantly greater than that after the 0.5-s travel time, but
no such difference was found for response allocation. Dwell times
were also longer when the previous travel time had been longer.
Key words: choice, concurrent schedules, travel time,
overmatching, punishment model, key peck, pigeons