Fixed-interval behavior maintained by conditioned reinforcement.
The key-pecking of a pigeon was reinforced with grain on an 18-min second-order schedule. During the 18 min, a key peck which completed a 3-min fixed interval produced a stimulus of 0.5-sec duration. The first 3-min fixed interval completed after 18 min resulted in primary reinforcement. Behavior characteristic of fixed-interval schedules was produced on both the 3-min components and the 18-min schedule. This performance was shown to be enhanced whenever the 0.5-sec stimulus was also presented before the presentation of grain.
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D010856:Columbidae; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D008297:Male; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology