title: Procedure for preventing response strain on random interval schedules with a linear feedback loop.
abstract: An experiment examined the impact of a procedure designed to prevent response or extinction strain occurring on random interval schedules with a linear feedback loop (i.e., an RI+ schedule). Rats lever-pressed for food reinforcement on either a RI+ or a random interval (RI) schedule that was matched to the RI+ schedule in terms of reinforcement rate. Two groups of rats responded on an RI+ and two on an RI schedule matched for rate of reinforcement. One group on each schedule also received response-independent food if there had been no response for 60 s, and response-independent food continued to be delivered on an RT-60 schedule until a response was made. Rats on the RI and RI+ obtained similar rates of reinforcement and had similar reinforced inter-response times to one another. On the schedules without response-independent food, rats had similar rates of response to one another. However, while the delivery of response-independent food reduced rates of response on an RI schedule, they enhanced response rates on an RI+ schedule. These results suggest that rats can display sensitivity to the molar aspects of the free-operant contingency, when procedures are implemented to reduce the impact of factors such as extinction-strain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK. p.reed@swansea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D051381:Rats; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Inter-response time; Molar; Molecular; Random interval; Random interval with linear feedback