Effects of initial-link duration on preference and resistance to change in concurrent-chains schedules.
Previous studies with concurrent-chains procedures have shown that preference for a terminal-link signaling a higher reinforcement rate decreases as initial-link durations increase. Using a concurrent-chains procedure, the present experiment examined the effects of manipulating initial-link duration on preference and resistance to disruption with rats nose poking for different rates of food reinforcement in the terminal links. Consistent with previous findings, preference for a terminal link with a higher reinforcement rate decreased with longer initial links. Conversely, relative resistance to disruption in the terminal link with a higher reinforcement rate increased with longer initial links. These findings are counter to the prediction of behavioral momentum theory that preference and resistance to change should be positively related.
Utah State University, USA. corinaj@umich.edu
Corina
C
Jimenez-Gomez
Christopher A
CA
Podlesnik
Timothy A
TA
Shahan
D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005502:Food; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology