The partial reinforcement effect sustained through blocks of continuous reinforcement.

To test the discrimination hypothesis of the partial reinforcement effect in extinction, partial or continuous reinforcement trials were interpolated between the initial training trials of partial or continuous reinforcement and the extinction period. 112 children from Grades 2 and 3 participated in one of four conditions. Children receiving two consecutive blocks of partial reinforcement showed the greatest resistance to extinction, children receiving two consecutive blocks of continuous reinforcement showed the weakest resistance, and those receiving partial reinforcement followed by continuous reinforcement or vice versa showed intermediate levels of resistance. Discrimination between training and extinction does not seem to be the critical factor involved in the partial reinforcement effect. The results were discussed in terms of a stimulus analyzer or a sequential analysis model.

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The partial-reinforcement effect sustained through blocks of continuous reinforcement in classical eyelid conditioning.

Journal of Experimental Psychology ◽

10.1037/h0021587 ◽

1965 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

pp. 158-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sally L. Perry ◽

John W. Moore

Keyword(s):

Partial Reinforcement Effect ◽

Eyelid Conditioning ◽

Partial Reinforcement ◽

Reinforcement Effect ◽

Continuous Reinforcement ◽

Classical Eyelid Conditioning

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Perseveration of the Partial Reinforcement Effect in Extinction with Rats over Two Phases of Extinction and Two Stages of Continuous Reinforcement

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.100.1.101-107 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 100 (1) ◽

pp. 101-107 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Richard S. Calef ◽

Michael C. Choban ◽

Katherine R. Glenney ◽

Ruth A. Calef ◽

Erik Schmitt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Partial Reinforcement Effect ◽

Straight Alley ◽

Partial Reinforcement ◽

The Other ◽

Albino Rats ◽

Reinforcement Effect ◽

Continuous Reinforcement ◽

Two Phases ◽

Two Stages

One group of 10 male albino rats was given partial reinforcement while the other 10 rats received continuous reinforcement in a straight alley. Subjects then experienced five consecutive stages of Extinction 1, Continuous Reinforcement 1, Extinction 2, Continuous Reinforcement 2, and finally, Extinction 3. Analysis showed the partial reinforcement effect in extinction was sustained over two stages of extinction and two stages of continuous reinforcement, since subjects receiving partial reinforcement ran faster than rats given continuous reinforcement throughout all three of the extinction periods. The results seem to support those of Amsel's (1967) and Capaldi's (1967) theoretical formulations of the partial reinforcement effect in extinction.

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Deprivation Level, Competing Responses, and the Pre

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1966.18.1.95 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 95-102 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Peter J. Mikulka ◽

William B. Pavlik

Keyword(s):

Food Deprivation ◽

Partial Reinforcement Effect ◽

Deprivation Level ◽

Straight Runway ◽

Partial Reinforcement ◽

Reinforcement Effect ◽

Reinforcement Schedules ◽

Running Speed ◽

Continuous Reinforcement ◽

Competing Responses

Rats were given 60 acquisition and 32 extinction trials in a straight runway. A 3 × 2 factorial design was employed, combining 3 levels of food deprivation with continuous and partial reinforcement schedules. The principal results were: (a) The magnitude of the partial reinforcement effect during extinction increased with increased food deprivation. (b) The major effects of deprivation during extinction were upon the performance of Ss on partial reinforcement; there was relatively little effect on the performance of continuous reinforcement Ss. (c) The frequency of competing responses differed among the experimental groups during both acquisition and extinction and generally was inversely related to running speed.

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The partial reinforcement effect (PRE) sustained through extinction and continuous reinforcement in two strains of inbred mice

Psychonomic Science ◽

10.3758/bf03332537 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 141-143 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Paul T. P. Wong ◽

C. T. Lee ◽

Frank H. Novier

Keyword(s):

Partial Reinforcement Effect ◽

Inbred Mice ◽

Partial Reinforcement ◽

Reinforcement Effect ◽

Continuous Reinforcement

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Partial Reinforcement Effect under Odor Control

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1972.30.1.215 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 215-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Robert E. Prytula ◽

Cecil C. Bridges ◽

H. R. Anderson ◽

Larry C. Hayes

Keyword(s):

Partial Reinforcement Effect ◽

Straight Runway ◽

Partial Reinforcement ◽

Albino Rats ◽

Reinforcement Effect ◽

Odor Control ◽

Continuous Reinforcement ◽

Partial Schedule ◽

Resistance To Extinction

4 groups ( ns = 10) of albino rats were given 40 acquisition and 25 extinction trials in a straight runway under one of the following conditions: (1) continuous reinforcement with an exhaust fan operative; (2) continuous reinforcement with exhaust fan operating but blocked from exhausting; (3) partial reinforcement with exhaust fan operating but blocked, and (4) partial reinforcement with exhaust fan operative. The results imply that exhausting odor(s) under a partial schedule increases running speeds during acquisition and resistance to extinction. The study points to important methodological implications for partial reinforcement research.

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Hippocampal Lesions and the Partial Reinforcement Effect

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1971.29.3.831 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 831-837 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. M. Bloom ◽

Robert A. McFarlain

Keyword(s):

Partial Reinforcement Effect ◽

Straight Runway ◽

Partial Reinforcement ◽

Hippocampal Function ◽

Reinforcement Effect ◽

Reinforcement Schedules ◽

Continuous Reinforcement ◽

Hippocampal Lesions ◽

Significant Attenuation

Two hypotheses of hippocampal function predict that nonreinforcement effects should be attenuated in hippocampal-lesioned rats. As a test of these hypotheses, hippocampal-lesioned and normal rats were trained in the straight runway on continuous or partial reinforcement schedules and then extinguished. In acquisition, lesioned rats ran slower over-all than normals and slower on trials following reward than normals, but there was no difference on trials following nonreward. In extinction, although lesioned Ss with continuous reinforcement were more resistant to extinction than normals, there was little difference between lesioned and normal groups having partial reinforcement and no significant attenuation of the partial reinforcement effect. The results were interpreted as implicating the hippocampus in the mediation of reinforcement rather than nonreinforcement effects.

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Note on Frustration Theory and the Partial Reinforcement Effect following a Few Acquisition Trials

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1971.28.1.81 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 81-82

Author(s):

A. M. Padilla

Keyword(s):

Partial Reinforcement Effect ◽

Acquisition Training ◽

Partial Reinforcement ◽

Frustration Theory ◽

Reinforcement Effect ◽

Acquisition Process ◽

Early Acquisition

Frustration theory (Amsel, 1958) is unable to explain partial reinforcement effects following limited acquisition training. It is suggested that attempts to explain these findings may have implications for conditioning theories in general, and that more attention should be given to the early acquisition process.

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