Aftereffects of the surprising presentation and omission of appetitive reinforcers on key-pecking performance in pigeons.
The reinforcement-omission effect (ROE), also known as frustration effect, refers to greater response strength immediately after nonreinforcement (N) than reinforcement (R). The ROE was traditionally interpreted as transient invigoration after N induced by primary frustration. Pigeons demonstrate similar ROEs whether outcomes are surprising (partial R) or expected (discrimination training) in runway (Experiment 1) and Skinner box situations (Experiments 2-3). Variations in the interval between N and the opportunity to respond indicate that the ROE results from an aftereffect of food consumption (Experiment 4). Increasing reinforcer magnitude increased the after-R effect, without modifying the after-N function (Experiment 5). These results are reviewed in the context of comparative research on spaced-trial successive negative contrast and related phenomena that have failed to appear in experiments involving nonmammalian vertebrates.
Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Box 298920, Fort Worth, Texas 76129, USA.
Steven C
SC
Stout
Rubén N
RN
Muzio
Robert L
RL
Boughner
Mauricio R
MR
Papini
D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D010856:Columbidae; D005639:Frustration; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013997:Time Factors