Multiple schedules: the effects of temporal factors on behaviour
type: CreativeWork
description: Domestic hens served in three experiments examining the effects of varying the temporal proximity of component schedules on behaviour on multiple variable-interval variable-interval schedules. In all experiments response rates on each component schedule and in successive subintervals of the components were determined. Data were analysed to obtain estimates of the parameters of the Generalised Matching Law for total responding and for responding in successive subintervals of components. Four hens served in the first experiment which examined the effects of reducing component duration while reinforcement rates in the component schedules were frequently reversed. The results indicated that values of the parameter α of the Generalised Matching Law generally increased as component duration was reduced. Changes in response rates contributing to the decrease in α values varied across hens. Local positive and local negative contrast were present in all hens’ data in some conditions but not in others. The conditions in which these phenomena occurred varied across hens. For three hens values of α declined across successive subintervals of components at all component durations. This effect was also present at the longer component durations in the fourth hen’s data but, for this hen’s data, α values increased over successive subintervals when component duration was reduced. The second experiment examined the effect of increasing and then decreasing the duration of an intercomponent blackout. Six hens served in this experiment. Blackout durations examined were 1 s, 10 s, 30 s, 60 s, 120 s, 180 s and 297 s. At each blackout duration the reinforcement rates in component schedules were varied. Response rates on both components of the multiple schedules tended to increase as the blackout duration was increased. Values of the parameter α decreased as blackout duration was increased and for five birds became negative. Changes in α values and response rates across successive subinterva…
abstract: Domestic hens served in three experiments examining the effects of varying the temporal proximity of component schedules on behaviour on multiple variable-interval variable-interval schedules. In all experiments response rates on each component schedule and in successive subintervals of the components were determined. Data were analysed to obtain estimates of the parameters of the Generalised Matching Law for total responding and for responding in successive subintervals of components. Four hens served in the first experiment which examined the effects of reducing component duration while reinforcement rates in the component schedules were frequently reversed. The results indicated that values of the parameter α of the Generalised Matching Law generally increased as component duration was reduced. Changes in response rates contributing to the decrease in α values varied across hens. Local positive and local negative contrast were present in all hens’ data in some conditions but not in others. The conditions in which these phenomena occurred varied across hens. For three hens values of α declined across successive subintervals of components at all component durations. This effect was also present at the longer component durations in the fourth hen’s data but, for this hen’s data, α values increased over successive subintervals when component duration was reduced. The second experiment examined the effect of increasing and then decreasing the duration of an intercomponent blackout. Six hens served in this experiment. Blackout durations examined were 1 s, 10 s, 30 s, 60 s, 120 s, 180 s and 297 s. At each blackout duration the reinforcement rates in component schedules were varied. Response rates on both components of the multiple schedules tended to increase as the blackout duration was increased. Values of the parameter α decreased as blackout duration was increased and for five birds became negative. Changes in α values and response rates across successive subinterva…
author: Hunt, Maree Joanne
license: https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstreams/1a5dbb1e-acaa-4f4b-ba34-7ca13a2122f1/download
date published: 1990
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:57:55Z
provider: University Waikato
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Waikato