Effectiveness of pay incentives under variable ratio and continuous reinforcement schedules.

1972 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Yukl ◽  
Kenneth N. Wexley ◽  
James D. Seymore
Keyword(s):  
Variable Ratio ◽  
Reinforcement Schedules ◽  
Continuous Reinforcement ◽  
Pay Incentives

The Effect of Different Combinations of Continuous and Partial Reinforcement Schedules on Response Persistence in Mentally Handicapped Children

1988 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Tierney ◽  
Howard V. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Partial Reinforcement ◽  
Variable Ratio ◽  
Reinforcement Schedules ◽  
Mentally Handicapped ◽  
Continuous Reinforcement ◽  
Handicapped Children ◽  
Handicapped People ◽  
Different Shapes ◽  
Response Persistence

Two experiments investigated the effects on persistence of behaviour in extinction of different training procedures, using mentally handicapped boys who were trained to place objects of different shapes into matching holes in a box for sensory reinforcers. In Experiment 1 two subjects were given three training procedures: (i) a C-C procedure, consisting of 80 trials of continuous reinforcement (CRF); (ii)a P-P procedure, consisting of 80 trials of variable ratio reinforcement (VR5); and (iii) a C-P procedure, consisting of 40 trials on CRF followed by 40 on VR5. Extinction occurred most quickly after C-C training, next quickest after P-P training. In experiment 2 with four boys, C-P training of 160 trials of CRF, followed by 120 trials of VR5, produced quicker extinction than P-P training of 280 trials of VR5 reinforcement. The implications of these results for training persistent behaviour in mentally handicapped people are discussed.

Behavioral Effects of Microwave Reinforcement Schedules and Variations in Microwave Intensity on Albino Rats

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 787-795 ◽  
Author(s):  
William F. Vitulli ◽  
J. Ken Lambert ◽  
Stella W. Brown ◽  
Joseph M. Quinn
Keyword(s):  
Microwave Radiation ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Behavioral Effects ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Ratio Schedule ◽  
Albino Rats ◽  
Reinforcement Schedules ◽  
Continuous Reinforcement ◽  
Exploratory Investigation

The objective of this exploratory investigation was to determine the interactive effects of fixed-ratio scheduling of microwave reinforcement in tandem with changes in microwave intensity. Nine albino rats were conditioned to regulate their thermal environment with microwave radiation while living in a Skinner (operant conditioning) Box in which the ambient temperature was about 27.13°F at the beginning of the session. Each rat obtained a 6-sec. exposure of microwave radiation on a fixed-ratio schedule of MW reinforcement, the values of which varied from FR-1 to FR-30. Intensities of MW radiation were 62.5 W, 125 W, 250 W, and 437.5 W. Sessions lasted for 8 to 9 hr. over an approximate 13-mo. period. The effects of the intensity of microwave reinforcement varied as a function of the ratio value of the schedule used. Continuous reinforcement (FR-1) produced the lowest over-all rates, whereas FR-15, and FR-25 produced the highest over-all rates. Relatively higher thermal-behavior rates occurred under 62.5 W than under any of the other MW intensities for FR-1, FR-15, and FR-25, whereas FR-10 and FR-30 ratios produced intermediate rates of thermal responding which were constant for all values of MW intensity. These data are explained in terms of interactive effects between the “local” satiation or deprivation properties of the MW intensity and the ratio requirements of the schedule of MW reinforcement.

scholarly journals Desperately Seeking Support

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lane Beckes ◽  
Kailey Simons ◽  
Danielle Lewis ◽  
Anthony Le ◽  
Weston Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Negative Reinforcement ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Ratio Schedule ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Variable Ratio ◽  
Reinforcement Schedules ◽  
Anxious Attachment ◽  
Related Potentials

Much is unknown about adult attachment style formation. We investigate whether negative reinforcement schedules promote hallmark features of secure and anxious attachment styles in a shock threat support-seeking paradigm. Participants ostensibly asked for help from another participant seated in another room. Each time a shock threat signal appeared they were to press a button to indicate their need for help. The supporter could then stop the imminent shock. The reliability of the supporters was varied such that some supporters were consistent (continuous reinforcement) whereas others were inconsistent (variable ratio reinforcement). Results indicated that inconsistently responsive others, reinforcing on a variable ratio schedule, led to heightened approach-related attentional biases toward the supporter, measured by event-related potentials, increased positive attachment associations with the supporter, implicitly measured via a lexical decision task, and more negative explicit evaluations of the supporter.

scholarly journals Desperately Seeking Support: Negative Reinforcement Schedules in the Formation of Adult Attachment Associations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lane Beckes
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Adult Attachment ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Negative Reinforcement ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Ratio Schedule ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Variable Ratio ◽  
Reinforcement Schedules ◽  
Related Potentials

Much is unknown about adult attachment style formation. We investigate whether negative reinforcement schedules promote hallmark features of secure and anxious attachment styles in a shock-threat support-seeking paradigm. Participants ostensibly asked for help from another participant seated in another room. Each time a shock threat signal appeared they were to press a button to indicate their need for help. The supporter could then stop the imminent shock. The reliability of the supporters was varied such that some supporters were consistent (continuous reinforcement) whereas others were inconsistent (variable-ratio reinforcement). Results indicated that inconsistently responsive others, reinforcing on a variable-ratio schedule, led to heightened approach related attentional biases toward the supporter, measured by event related potentials, increased positive attachment associations with the supporter, implicitly measured via a lexical decision task, and more negative explicit evaluations of the supporter.

Infant responding compared under conjugate- and continuous-reinforcement schedules.

2005 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Voltaire ◽  
Jacob L. Gewirtz ◽  
Martha Pelaez
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Schedules ◽  
Continuous Reinforcement

Neuroleptics and operant behavior: The anhedonia hypothesis

1982 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy A. Wise
Keyword(s):  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Reinforcement Schedules ◽  
Neuroleptic Treatment ◽  
Continuous Reinforcement ◽  
Environmental Stimuli ◽  
Human Pathology ◽  
Response Capacity ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior

AbstractNeuroleptic drugs disrupt the learning and performance of operant habits motivated by a variety of positive reinforcers, including food, water, brain stimulation, intravenous opiates, stimulants, and barbiturates. This disruption has been demonstrated in several kinds of experiments with doses that do not significantly limit normal response capacity. With continuous reinforcement neuroleptics gradually cause responding to cease, as in extinction or satiation. This pattern is not due to satiation, however, because it also occurs with nonsatiating reinforcement (such as saccharin or brain stimulation). Repeated tests with neuroleptics result in earlier and earlier response cessation reminiscent of the kind of decreased resistance to extinction caused by repeated tests without the expected reward. Indeed, withholding reward can have the same effect on responding under later neuroleptic treatment as prior experience with neuroleptics themselves; this suggests that there is a transfer of learning (really unlearning) from nonreward to neuroleptic conditions. These tests under continuous reinforcement schedules suggest that neuroleptics blunt the ability of reinforcers to sustain responding at doses which largely spare the ability of the animal to initiate responding. Animals trained under partial reinforcement, however, do not respond as well during neuroleptic testing as animals trained under continuous reinforcement. Thus, neuroleptics can also impair responding (though not response capacity) that is normally sustained by environmental stimuli (and associated expectancies) in the absence of the primary reinforcer. Neuroleptics also blunt the euphoric impact of amphetamine in humans. These data suggest that the most subtle and interesting effect of neuroleptics is a selective attenuation of motivational arousal which is (a) critical for goal-directed behavior, (b) normally induced by reinforcers and associated environmental stimuli, and (c) normally accompanied by the subjective experience of pleasure. Because these drugs are used to treat schizophrenia and because they cause parkinsonian-like side effects, this action has implications for a better understanding of human pathology as well as normal motivational processes.

Order of Partial and Continuous Reinforcement Schedules in Verbal Choice Behavior

1980 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 635-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delphine Yelen
Keyword(s):  
Choice Behavior ◽  
Partial Reinforcement ◽  
Choice Task ◽  
Reinforcement Schedules ◽  
Continuous Reinforcement ◽  
Fourth Group

Four groups of 16 students were given 120 acquisition trials and 60 extinction trials in a verbal choice task. One group was given 120 continuously reinforced trials, a second group was given 120 partially reinforced trials, a third group was given 60 partially reinforced trials followed by 60 continuously reinforced trials, and a fourth group was given 60 continuously reinforced trials followed by 60 partially reinforced trials. Subjects given partial reinforcement after continuous reinforcement were as resistant to extinction as subjects given partial reinforcement only, and both groups were more resistant to extinction than subjects given continuous reinforcement only. Subjects trained with the partial-continuous order of reinforcement schedules, however, were no more resistant to extinction than subjects trained with continuous reinforcement only.

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