Nevin, J. A., & Grace, R. C. (2000).
Preference and resistance to change with constant-duration schedule components.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
74, 79-100.
Previous research on preference between variable-interval
terminal links in concurrent chains has most often used
variable-duration terminal links ending with a single reinforcer.
By contrast, most research on resistance to change in multiple
schedules has used constant-eduration components that include
variable numbers of reinforcers in each presentation. Grace and
Nevin (1997) examined both preference and resistance in
variable-duration components; here, preference and resistance
were examined in constant-duration components. Reinforcer rates
were varied across eight conditions, and a
generalized-matching-law analysis showed that initial-link
preference strongly overmatched terminal-link reinforcer ratios.
In multiple schedules, baseline response rates were unaffected by
reinforcer rates, but resistance to intercomponent food, to
extinction, and to intercomponent food plus extinction was
greater in the richer component. The between-component difference
in resistance to change exhibited additive effects for the three
resistance tests, and was systematically related to reinforcer
ratios. However, resistance was less sensitive to reinforcer
ratios than was preference. Resistance to intercomponent food and
to intercomponent food plus extinction was more sensitive to
reinforcer ratios in the present study than in Grace and Nevin
(1997). Thus, relative to variable-duration components, constant-
duration components increased the sensitivity of both preference
and relative resistance, supporting the proposition that these
are independent and convergent measures of the effects of a
history of reinforcement.
Key words: choice, concurrent chains, overmatching, resistance to
change, multiple schedules, key peck, pigeons