{"id":{"repo_id":"siu-theses","oai_identifier":"oai:opensiuc.lib.siu.edu:dissertations-1749"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/siu-theses/oai:opensiuc.lib.siu.edu:dissertations-1749","repository":{"repo_id":"siu-theses","name":"Southern Illinois University","base_url":"https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"An Evaluation of Resistance to Change with Unconditioned and Conditioned Reinforcers","abstract":"Several variables have been shown to influence resistance to change including rate, magnitude, and delay to reinforcement (Nevin, 1974). One variable that has not been studied with humans concerns the evaluation of resistance to change with unconditioned and conditioned reinforcers. In Experiment 1 (Resistance to Extinction Assessment), 5 participants' behaviors were reinforced during a baseline phase on a mult VI 30 s VI 30 s schedule with either a conditioned (i.e., token) or unconditioned reinforcer (i.e., food). Following equal reinforcement rates across components, extinction was introduced as a disruptor. All participants showed greater resistance to extinction in the component associated with conditioned reinforcers than unconditioned reinforcers. In Experiment 2 (Varied Distractors Assessment), 4 participants experienced a baseline phase the same as Experiment 1 (i.e., mult VI 30 s VI 30 s). Each participant was then exposed to prefeeding and distraction as disruptors in separate analyses. Results showed that behaviors were more resistant to distraction with conditioned than unconditioned reinforcers, similar to Experiment 1. However, when prefeeding disrupted responding, greater resistance to change was observed with unconditioned reinforcers than conditioned reinforcers. Implications of the results are discussed.","abstract_html":"Several variables have been shown to influence resistance to change including rate, magnitude, and delay to reinforcement (Nevin, 1974). One variable that has not been studied with humans concerns the evaluation of resistance to change with unconditioned and conditioned reinforcers. In Experiment 1 (Resistance to Extinction Assessment), 5 participants' behaviors were reinforced during a baseline phase on a mult VI 30 s VI 30 s schedule with either a conditioned (i.e., token) or unconditioned reinforcer (i.e., food). Following equal reinforcement rates across components, extinction was introduced as a disruptor. All participants showed greater resistance to extinction in the component associated with conditioned reinforcers than unconditioned reinforcers. In Experiment 2 (Varied Distractors Assessment), 4 participants experienced a baseline phase the same as Experiment 1 (i.e., mult VI 30 s VI 30 s). Each participant was then exposed to prefeeding and distraction as disruptors in separate analyses. Results showed that behaviors were more resistant to distraction with conditioned than unconditioned reinforcers, similar to Experiment 1. However, when prefeeding disrupted responding, greater resistance to change was observed with unconditioned reinforcers than conditioned reinforcers. Implications of the results are discussed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Vargo, Kristina K."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Campus Only Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Rehabilitation","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Ringdahl, Joel"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-08-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-08-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:34:11Z","subjects":["Behavioral Momentum Theory","Conditioned Reinforcers","Persistence","Resistance to Change","Unconditioned Reinforcers"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/746","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Ringdahl, Joel"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Vargo, Kristina K."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Rehabilitation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Campus Only Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Behavioral Momentum Theory","Conditioned Reinforcers","Persistence","Resistance to Change","Unconditioned Reinforcers"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/746"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Several variables have been shown to influence resistance to change including rate, magnitude, and delay to reinforcement (Nevin, 1974). One variable that has not been studied with humans concerns the evaluation of resistance to change with unconditioned and conditioned reinforcers. In Experiment 1 (Resistance to Extinction Assessment), 5 participants' behaviors were reinforced during a baseline phase on a mult VI 30 s VI 30 s schedule with either a conditioned (i.e., token) or unconditioned reinforcer (i.e., food). Following equal reinforcement rates across components, extinction was introduced as a disruptor. All participants showed greater resistance to extinction in the component associated with conditioned reinforcers than unconditioned reinforcers. In Experiment 2 (Varied Distractors Assessment), 4 participants experienced a baseline phase the same as Experiment 1 (i.e., mult VI 30 s VI 30 s). Each participant was then exposed to prefeeding and distraction as disruptors in separate analyses. Results showed that behaviors were more resistant to distraction with conditioned than unconditioned reinforcers, similar to Experiment 1. However, when prefeeding disrupted responding, greater resistance to change was observed with unconditioned reinforcers than conditioned reinforcers. Implications of the results are discussed."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Evaluation of Resistance to Change with Unconditioned and Conditioned Reinforcers"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Ringdahl, Joel"],"dc:creator":["Vargo, Kristina K."],"dc:description.abstract":["Several variables have been shown to influence resistance to change including rate, magnitude, and delay to reinforcement (Nevin, 1974). One variable that has not been studied with humans concerns the evaluation of resistance to change with unconditioned and conditioned reinforcers. In Experiment 1 (Resistance to Extinction Assessment), 5 participants' behaviors were reinforced during a baseline phase on a mult VI 30 s VI 30 s schedule with either a conditioned (i.e., token) or unconditioned reinforcer (i.e., food). Following equal reinforcement rates across components, extinction was introduced as a disruptor. All participants showed greater resistance to extinction in the component associated with conditioned reinforcers than unconditioned reinforcers. In Experiment 2 (Varied Distractors Assessment), 4 participants experienced a baseline phase the same as Experiment 1 (i.e., mult VI 30 s VI 30 s). Each participant was then exposed to prefeeding and distraction as disruptors in separate analyses. Results showed that behaviors were more resistant to distraction with conditioned than unconditioned reinforcers, similar to Experiment 1. However, when prefeeding disrupted responding, greater resistance to change was observed with unconditioned reinforcers than conditioned reinforcers. Implications of the results are discussed."],"dc:identifier":["https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/746"],"dc:subject":["Behavioral Momentum Theory","Conditioned Reinforcers","Persistence","Resistance to Change","Unconditioned Reinforcers"],"dc:title":["An Evaluation of Resistance to Change with Unconditioned and Conditioned Reinforcers"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Rehabilitation"],"thesis:degree_level":["Campus Only Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:34:11Z"}