An Evaluation of Resistance to Change with Unconditioned and Conditioned Reinforcers

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Campus Only Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Rehabilitation

Year

2013

Author dc:creator

• Vargo, Kristina K.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ringdahl, Joel

• Behavioral Momentum Theory
• Conditioned Reinforcers
• Persistence
• Resistance to Change
• Unconditioned Reinforcers

Repository record dc:identifier

https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/746

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opensiuc.lib.siu.edu:dissertations-1749