title: Delayed reinforcement of fixed-ratio performance without mediating exteroceptive conditioned reinforcement.
abstract: The performance of pigeons was studied under conditions in which the completion of a fixed-ratio requirement was not contiguous with the presentation of a reinforcer. Timein and timeout periods alternated throughout the experimental sessions. Responses made by an experimental bird during the timein period were accumulated, and when a fixed-ratio requirement had been met, grain was presented to the experimental bird and a yoked control following their first response in the next timein period. Across most manipulations of the fixed-ratio requirement and of the duration of the timeout period, the response rates of the experimental birds were considerably higher than those of their controls, suggesting that the response-reinforcer dependency controlled the behavior of the experimental bird in the absence of a close temporal association between responding on the ratio schedule and reinforcer presentations.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Newby