Factors Affecting Lever Pressing on a Variable-Interval Schedule in Nondeprived Rats

1976 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald E. Jackson ◽  
Lizabeth A. Barclay
Keyword(s):  
Variable Interval ◽  
Variable Interval Schedule ◽  
Interval Schedule ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Lever Pressing

Sucrose Concentration as Reinforcement for Lever Pressing by Monkeys

1956 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald G. Conrad ◽  
Murray Sidman
Keyword(s):  
Food Deprivation ◽  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Sucrose Concentration ◽  
Variable Interval ◽  
Variable Interval Schedule ◽  
Interval Schedule ◽  
Satiation Effect ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Lever Pressing

3 rhesus monkeys were given various concentrations of sucrose for lever pressing on a variable interval schedule of reinforcement. 7 sucrose concentrations were studied at 2 levels of food deprivation. The response rates accelerated rapidly with increasing concentrations, and then declined after reaching a maximum, generally between 15 and 30% sucrose concentration. The decline was attributed to a satiation effect. The higher level of food deprivation tended to increase the response rate at all but the extreme high and low concentrations.

Enhancement of Food-Rewarded Instrumental Responding by an Appetitive Conditioned Stimulus

1981 ◽  
Vol 33 (1b) ◽  
pp. 3-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Edgar ◽  
Geoffrey Hall ◽  
John M. Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Variable Interval ◽  
Free Food ◽  
Variable Interval Schedule ◽  
Interval Schedule ◽  
Initial Training ◽  
Minimum Duration ◽  
Baseline Schedule ◽  
Schedule Of Reinforcement ◽  
Lever Pressing

Four experiments are reported in which a stimulus (with a minimum duration of 60 s) signalling the delivery of “free” food was presented to rats lever-pressing for food available on a variable interval schedule. It was found that responding was enhanced in the presence of the stimulus when the baseline schedule of reinforcement was lean (Experiment I) and that the enhancement was dependent upon the pairing of the stimulus with free food (Experiments II and III). Experiment IV showed that an enhancement could be found after initial training in which stimulus-food pairings were given to subjects that were not concurrently lever pressing for food. It is argued that these results are consistent with the suggestion that an appetitive conditioned stimulus can energise appetitive instrumental behaviour.

Effects of Pairing Electric Shock with Reinforcement Delivered on a Variable-Interval Schedule

1976 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-489
Author(s):  
Daniel M. Doleys ◽  
Robert S. Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Linear Relationship ◽  
Shock Intensity ◽  
Electric Shock ◽  
Variable Interval ◽  
Variable Interval Schedule ◽  
Response Suppression ◽  
Interval Schedule ◽  
Total Response ◽  
Schedule Of Reinforcement ◽  
Response Facilitation

Gradually increased electric shock was superimposed on responding maintained on a VI 60-sec. schedule of reinforcement. Shock was contingent upon the reinforcement producing response and preceded reinforcement delivery. Following total response suppression, shock was removed and then reintroduced at selected intensities. The previously observed monotonic linear relationship between rate of responding and shock intensity was not recorded. Rather, post-reinforcement response bursts and two distinct patterns of response facilitation emerged.

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