Shahan, T. A. & Podlesnik, C. A. (2005).
Rate of conditioned reinforcement affects observing rate but not resistance to
change.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 84, 1-17.
The effects of rate of conditioned reinforcement on the resistance to change of
operant behavior have not been examined. In addition, the effects of rate of
conditioned reinforcement on the rate of observing have not been adequately
examined. In two experiments, a multiple schedule of observing-response
procedures was used to examine the effects of rate of conditioned reinforcement
on observing rates and resistance to change. In a rich component, observing
responses produced a higher frequency of stimuli correlated with alternating
periods of random-interval schedule primary reinforcement or extinction. In a
lean component, observing responses produced similar schedule-correlated stimuli
but at a lower frequency. The rate of primary reinforcement in both components
was the same. In Experiment 1, a 4:1 ratio of stimulus production was arranged
by the rich and lean components. In Experiment 2, the ratio of stimulus
production rates was increased to 6:1. In both experiments, observing rates were
higher in the rich component than in the lean component. Disruptions in
observing produced by presession feeding, extinction of observing responses, and
response-independent food deliveries during intercomponent intervals usually
were similar in the rich and lean components. When differences in resistance to
change did occur, observing tended to be more resistant to change in the lean
component. If resistance to change is accepted as a more appropriate measure of
response strength than absolute response rates, then the present results provide
no evidence that higher rates of stimuli generally considered to function as
conditioned reinforcers engender greater response strength.
Key words: conditioned reinforcement, resistance to change, behavioral momentum,
observing, reinforcement rate, key peck, pigeon