title: Non-contingent positive and negative reinforcement schedules of superstitious behaviors.
abstract: The role of schedules of reinforcement on the development of superstitious conditioning was investigated in a college age population. Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight operant schedules and instructed to remove (escape), prevent and/or remove (avoidance and escape) or produce (positive) the appearance of a computer generated stimulus using a response pad. Results from the experiment indicate that concomitant (escape and avoidance) schedules of reinforcement are most effective in facilitating acquisition of superstitious behavior as measured by self-reports of participants.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, IN, United States. cbloom@usi.edu
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Venard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harden
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seetharaman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004924:Escape Reaction; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012653:Self Stimulation; D013483:Superstitions / Q000523:psychology*