Effects of Reinforcement History on Stimulus Control Relations

Ray (1969) conducted an experiment on multiple stimulus-response relations and selective attention. Ray's (1969) results suggested that stimulus-response relations function as behavioral units. McIlvane and Dube (1996) indicated that if stimulus-response relations are behavioral units the effects of environmental variables on stimulus-response relations should be similar to the effects of environmental variables on single response topographies. This experiment analyzed the effects of reinforcement history on the probability of stimulus-response relations with differing reinforcement histories. In separate conditions random-ratio schedules of reinforcement were contingent on each of four discriminated responses. To assess the effects of reinforcement, during test conditions stimuli controlling different topographies were present concurrently in composite form. Results show that reinforcement history affects the probability of each response topography and that the association between response topographies and their controlling stimuli tends to remain constant throughout variations in reinforcement probability.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2000

Author dc:creator

• Reyes, Fredy

Contributors dc:contributor

• Glenn, Sigrid S., 1939-
• Hyten, Cloyd
• Smith, Richard
• Hartman, David W.

• Reinforcement (Psychology)
• stimulus-response relations
• selective attention
• reinforcement history
• composite form

Statement dc:rights

• Use restricted to UNT Community
• Copyright
• Reyes, Fredy
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 50547242
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2669/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc2669

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc2669