Low‐response‐rate Conditioning History and Fixed‐interval Responding in Rats
Year: 1993
Type: article
Abstract: Bar presses by one group of rats were conditioned under a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate reinforcement schedule immediately prior to conditioning under a fixed-interval schedule. In a second group of rats, bar presses were conditioned first under a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedule and then under a fixed-ratio schedule prior to conditioning under a fixed-interval schedule. Low response rates occurred under the fixed-interval schedule only when it was immediately preceded by low-rate conditioning. Otherwise, fixed-interval responding was similar to responding under the fixed-ratio schedule. This finding suggests that responses of laboratory animals are sensitive to immediate history, and, unlike human responses, are relatively insensitive to a history of low-rate conditioning when it is followed by high-rate conditioning.
Authors: Janet R. Lefrancois, Barbara Metzger
Institution: Converse College
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1964021080