Abstract
Higher order operants modify an imposed reinforcement schedule that controls the main operant and render the schedule more favorable. With rats leverpressing for fixed-ratio food reinforcement, an interpolated extinction session facilitated acquisition of the higher order operant, as evidenced in an increase in the appropriate collateral leverpressing which reduced ratio requirements.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References Note
Skinner, B. F. Personal communication, October 21, 1974.
Wong, P. T. P., Finnie, L. M., & Grife, W. Secondorder operant under FR conditions. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society in Boston, Massachusetts, November 1974.
Wong, P. T. P. Higher order operant acquisition under FR conditions with extended training. Unpublished study, Trent University, 1975.
References
Adelman, H. M., & Maatsch, J. L. Learning and extinction based upon frustration, food reward, and exploratory tendency. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1956, 52, 311–315.
Amsel, A. Positive induction, behavioral contrast, and generalization of inhibition in discrimination learning. In H. H. Kendler & J. Spence (Eds.), Essays in neobehaviorism. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1971. Pp. 217–236. (a)
Amsel, A. Frustration, persistence, and regression. In H. D. Kimmel (Ed.) Experimental psychopathology: Recent research and theory. New York: Academic Press, 1971. (b)
Antonitis, J. J. Response variability in the white rat during conditioning, extinction, and reconditioning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1951, 42, 273–281.
Boroczi, G., & Nakamura, C. Y. Variability of responding as a measure of the effect of frustration. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1964, 68, 342–345.
Catania, A. C. Concurrent operants. In W. J. Honig (Ed.) Operant behavior: Areas of research and application. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1966.
Coulson, G. E. Positive reinforcement as an increase in the availability of food. Unpublished PhD dissertation, York University, 1970.
Falk, J. L. The nature and determinants of adjunctive behavior. Physiology and Behavior, 1971, 6, 377–388.
Findley, J. D. Preference and switching under concurrent scheduling. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1958, 1, 123–144.
Findley, J. D. An experimental outline for building and exploring multi-operant behavior repertoires. Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1962, 5, 113–166.
Gallup, G. G., Jr. Aggression in rats as a function of frustrative nonreward in a straight alley. Psychonomic Science, 1965, 3, 99–100.
Gilbert, R. M., & Keehn, J. D. Schedule effects: Drugs, drinking, and aggression Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1972.
Gray, J. G. The psychology of fear and stress. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1971.
Herrnstein, R. J., & Hineline, P. N. Negative reinforcement as shock frequency reduction. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1966, 9, 421–430.
Keehn, J. D. Schedule-dependence, schedule-induction, and the law of effect. In R. M. Gilbert & J. D. Keehn (Eds.), Schedule effects: Drugs, drinking, and aggression. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1972. Pp. 66–94.
Knutson, J. F. Aggression during the fixed-ratio and extinction components of a multiple schedule of reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1970, 13, 221–232.
Mccray, C. L., & Harper, R. S. Some relationships of schedules of reinforcement to variability of response. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1962, 55, 19–21.
Newberry, B. H. Response variability and the partial reinforcement effect. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1971, 89, 137–141.
Verhave, T. Towards an empirical calculus of reinforcement value. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1963, 6, 525–536.
Wagner, A. R. Frustration and punishment. In R. N. Haber (Ed.) Current research in motivation. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1967.
Wong, P. T. P. The concept of higher order operant: A preliminary analysis. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1975, 5, 43–44.
Wong, P. T. P. A behavioral field approach to instrumental learning: I. The partial reinforcement effects and sex differences. Animal Learning & Behavior, 1976, in press.
Wong, P. T. P., & Amsel, A. Prior fixed-ratio training and durable persistence. Animal Learning & Behavior, 1976, 4, 461–466.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by NRC Grant A8635. and a University Research Committee grant. Thanks are due to Lynn Finnie and Wanda Grife for their assistance in collecting the data. The author is grateful to Evalyn F. Segal, J. D. Keehn, and Rod Wongfor their helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wong, P.T.P. Extinction facilitates acquisition of the higher order operant. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 9, 131–134 (1977). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03336952
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03336952