Developing and maintaining precurrent behavior that affects the reinforcement probability of another behavior
| dc.contributor.author | Polson, David Arthur Donald | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Goldwater, Bram | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-06-22T19:52:48Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-06-22T19:52:48Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 1991 | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-06-22 | |
| dc.degree.department | Department of Psychology | |
| dc.degree.level | Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | The present study was concerned with the development and maintenance of (precurrent) behavior that increases the probability of reinforcement for another (current) behavior. A single-subject methodology was employed. Nine human subjects responded on a computer mouse that contained two buttons. One (current) button was reinforced according to a probability schedule (p = .02 or a minor deviation thereof), Depending on the condition, the other button either had no scheduled consequence (i.e., the precurrent contingency was absent) or increased the probability of reinforcement (p = .08) for current responding for 15 s (i.e., the standard precurrent contingency was present). Generally, with the precurrent contingency absent, precurrent responding quickly dropped to near zero levels ; with the precurrent contingency present, precurrent responding maintained at enhanced levels. Between- and within-subject replications suggest that the precurrent contingency was responsible for the maintenance of precurrent responding. Initial exposure to the precurrent contingency resulted in the acquisition of precurrent responding for four of eight subjects. For the four other subjects, a special conditioning procedure was enployed. which included either: (1) increasing the degree to which a precurrent response raised the probability of reinforcement for current responding; or (2) decreasing the probability of reinforcement for current responding to zero unless a precurrent response had occurred within the previous 15 s. Both of these procedures produced enhanced levels of precurrent responding which eventually maintained when the standard precurrent contingency was reintroduced. For four subjects, a OOD was later imposed onto the precurrent contingency. Specifically, a precurrent response produced a brief timeout followed by the period of enhanced reinforcement probability for current responding. In two cases, the CDD reduced precurrent responding to near zero levels, suggesting that reinforcement for current responses immediately following a precurrent response can play an important role in maintenance. In another experiment, the acquisition of precurrent responding was observed when the OOD was part of the precurrent contingency from the beginning, suggesting reinforcement for current responses immediately following a precurrent response is not necessary for acquisition. Current responding generally occurred at a high stable rate within sessions, between sessions, and between conditions. Efficiency (defined as the proportion of current responses in a session emitted under the enhanced probability state) rarely approached maximal levels and generally did not Improve with extended exposure to the precurrent contingency. Post-session verbal reports were recorded for six subjects. The conditioning and extinction of precurrent responding was demonstrated in the absence of "awareness" of the precurrent contingency. The accuracy of the reports varied both between- and within-subjects, and like efficiency, did not Improve with extended exposure to the precurrent contingency. Some issues considered in the discussion include (1) the role of frequency of contact with the precurrent contingency in acquisition and (2) discriminative control by the reinforcement schedules. Directions for future research are also discussed. | en_US |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Graduate | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1828/9502 | |
| dc.language | English | eng |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | en_US |
| dc.subject | Conditioned response | en_US |
| dc.subject | Reinforcement (Psychology) | en_US |
| dc.subject | Behaviorism (Psychology) | en_US |
| dc.subject | Operant behavior | en_US |
| dc.title | Developing and maintaining precurrent behavior that affects the reinforcement probability of another behavior | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |