Determinants of Pausing Under Variable-ratio Schedules: Reinforcer Magnitude, Ratio Size, and Schedule Configuration
Overview
Social Sciences
Authors
Affiliations
Pigeons pecked a key under two-component multiple variable-ratio schedules that offered 8-s or 2-s access to grain. Phase 1 assessed the effects of differences in reinforcer magnitude on postreinforcement pausing, as a function of ratio size. In Phase 2, postreinforcement pausing and the first five interresponse times in each ratio were measured as a function of differences in reinforcer magnitude under equal variable-ratio schedules consisting of different configurations of individual ratios. Rates were also calculated exclusive of postreinforcement pause times in both phases. The results from Phase 1 showed that as ratio size increased, the differences in pausing educed by unequal reinforcer magnitudes also increased. The results of Phase 2 showed that the effects of reinforcer magnitude on pausing and IRT durations were a function of schedule configuration. Under one configuration, in which the smallest ratio was a fixed-ratio 1, pauses were unaffected by magnitude but the first five interresponse times were affected. Under the other configuration, in which the smallest ratio was a fixed-ratio 7, pauses were affected by reinforcer magnitude but the first five interresponse times were not. The effect of each configuration seemed to be determined by the value of the smallest individual ratio. Rates calculated exclusive of postreinforcement pause times were, in general, directly related to reinforcer magnitude, and the relation was shown to be a function of schedule configuration.
Chevee M, Kim C, Crow N, Follman E, Leonard M, Calipari E eNeuro. 2023; 10(9).
PMID: 37696663 PMC: 10537440. DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0063-23.2023.
Task parameters influence operant response variability in mice.
Follman E, Chevee M, Kim C, Johnson A, Tat J, Leonard M Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2022; 240(1):213-225.
PMID: 36572717 PMC: 9894580. DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06298-z.
Suppressive and enhancing effects of nicotine on food-seeking behavior.
Romero K, Daniels C, Gipson C, Sanabria F Behav Brain Res. 2017; 339:130-139.
PMID: 29175447 PMC: 5736011. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.11.023.
What 50 years of research tell us about pausing under ratio schedules of reinforcement.
Schlinger H, Derenne A, Baron A Behav Anal. 2012; 31(1):39-60.
PMID: 22478501 PMC: 2395348. DOI: 10.1007/BF03392160.
Williams D, Saunders K, Perone M J Exp Anal Behav. 2011; 95(2):203-20.
PMID: 21541121 PMC: 3047253. DOI: 10.1901/jeab.2011.95-203.