scholarly journals COUNTING BY HUMANS ON A FIXED-RATIO SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT

1958 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAMES G. HOLLAND
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Schedules Of Reinforcement

Effects of Frequency and Specificity of Information Feedback on Acquisition and Extinction of a Positioning Task

1972 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 567-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inga S. Baird ◽  
Glenn H. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Partial Information ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Information Feedback ◽  
Schedules Of Reinforcement ◽  
Coarse Scale ◽  
Resistance To Extinction ◽  
Facilitated Learning

An experiment designed to specify the process similarities of information feedback and reinforcement and to note the interaction of 2 major feedback variables on a simple positioning task. 80 students were randomly divided into 4 groups receiving either 25, 50, 75, or 100% schedules of feedback, analogous to fixed-ratio schedules of reinforcement. The 4 groups were further divided into 2 subgroups that differed in terms of specificity of feedback. Results indicated that when all Ss were provided the same number of feedbacks, the groups did not differ during acquisition. Groups with partial information feedback demonstrated greater resistance to extinction. The coarse-scale treatment facilitated learning but had no effect during extinction. There was no interaction between frequency and specificity of information.

Comparison of the performance of deafferented and intact monkeys on continuous and fixed ratio schedules of reinforcement

1978 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Taub ◽  
Mary Williams ◽  
Gilbert Barro ◽  
Solomon S. Steiner
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Schedules Of Reinforcement

A Method for Illustrating the Continuity of Behavior during Schedules of Reinforcement

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco J. Silva ◽  
Ruhiyyih Yuille ◽  
Lisa K. Peters
Keyword(s):  
Operant Behavior ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Fixed Interval ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Schedules Of Reinforcement ◽  
Computer Screen ◽  
Assignment Of Credit ◽  
First Contact

In this article, we present a method for illustrating the continuity of behavior during schedules of reinforcement. Students experienced either a fixed-interval 15-sec schedule in which the first contact after 15 sec of a cursor on a computer screen with a 0.7-cm diameter virtual (invisible) target resulted in reinforcement (a beep) or a fixed-ratio 5 schedule in which every 5th contact with the target produced the reinforcer. In addition to illustrating the continuity of behavior, this method provides a means of exposing students to concepts and methods such as the acquisition of operant behavior, the assignment-of-credit problem, the organization of behavior across time, and the analysis of single-subject data.

The dopamine β-hydroxylase inhibitor, nepicastat, suppresses chocolate self-administration and reinstatement of chocolate seeking in rats

2013 ◽  
Vol 110 (8) ◽  
pp. 1524-1533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Zaru ◽  
Paola Maccioni ◽  
Giancarlo Colombo ◽  
Gian Luigi Gessa
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Schedules Of Reinforcement ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Pharmacological Agents ◽  
New Class ◽  
Cocaine Seeking ◽  
Reinforcement Measures ◽  
Food Seeking ◽  
Prevention Of Relapse

Craving for chocolate is a common phenomenon, which may evolve to an addictive-like behaviour and contribute to obesity. Nepicastat is a selective dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) inhibitor that suppresses cocaine-primed reinstatement of cocaine seeking in rats. We verified whether nepicastat was able to modify the reinforcing and motivational properties of a chocolate solution and to prevent the reinstatement of chocolate seeking in rats. Nepicastat (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) produced a dose-related inhibition of operant self-administration of the chocolate solution in rats under fixed-ratio 10 (FR10) and progressive-ratio schedules of reinforcement, measures of the reinforcing and motivational properties of the chocolate solution, respectively. The effect of nepicastat on the reinstatement of chocolate seeking was studied in rats in which lever-responding had been extinguished by removing the chocolate solution for approximately 8 d. Nepicastat dose-dependently suppressed the reinstatement of lever-responding triggered by a ‘priming’ of the chocolate solution together with cues previously associated with the availability of the reward. In a separate group of food-restricted rats trained to lever-respond for regular food pellets, nepicastat reduced FR10 lever-responding with the same potency as for the chocolate solution. Spontaneous locomotor activity was not modified by nepicastat doses that reduced self-administration of the chocolate solution and regular food pellets and suppressed the reinstatement of chocolate seeking. The results indicate that nepicastat reduces motivation to food consumption sustained by appetite or palatability. Moreover, the results suggest that DBH inhibitors may be a new class of pharmacological agents potentially useful in the prevention of relapse to food seeking in human dieters.

scholarly journals The Novel Positive Allosteric Modulator of the GABAB Receptor, KK-92A, Suppresses Alcohol Self-Administration and Cue-Induced Reinstatement of Alcohol Seeking in Rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Maccioni ◽  
Katarzyna Kaczanowska ◽  
Harshani Lawrence ◽  
Sang Yun ◽  
Jessica Bratzu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Drugs Of Abuse ◽  
Gabab Receptor ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Spontaneous Locomotor Activity ◽  
Schedules Of Reinforcement ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Motivated Behaviors ◽  
Alcohol Seeking

Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the GABAB receptor (GABAB PAMs) are of interest in the addiction field due to their ability to suppress several behaviors motivated by drugs of abuse. KK-92A is a novel GABAB PAM found to attenuate intravenous self-administration of nicotine and reinstatement of nicotine seeking in rats. This present study was aimed at extending to alcohol the anti-addictive properties of KK-92A. To this end, Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats were trained to lever-respond for oral alcohol (15% v/v) or sucrose (0.7% w/v) under the fixed ratio (FR) 5 (FR5) schedule of reinforcement. Once lever-responding behavior had stabilized, rats were exposed to tests with acutely administered KK-92A under FR5 and progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement and cue-induced reinstatement of previously extinguished alcohol seeking. KK-92A effect on spontaneous locomotor activity was also evaluated. Treatment with 10 and 20 mg/kg KK-92A suppressed lever-responding for alcohol, amount of self-administered alcohol, and breakpoint for alcohol. Treatment with 20 mg/kg KK-92A reduced sucrose self-administration. Combination of per se ineffective doses of KK-92A (2.5 mg/kg) and the GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen (1 mg/kg), reduced alcohol self-administration. Treatment with 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg KK-92A suppressed reinstatement of alcohol seeking. Only treatment with 80 mg/kg KK-92A affected spontaneous locomotor activity. These results demonstrate the ability of KK-92A to inhibit alcohol-motivated behaviors in rodents and confirm that these effects are common to the entire class of GABAB PAMs. The remarkable efficacy of KK-92A is discussed in terms of its ago-allosteric properties.

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