{"id":{"repo_id":"wvu","oai_identifier":"oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1711"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/wvu/oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1711","repository":{"repo_id":"wvu","name":"West Virginia University","base_url":"https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Effects of reinforcement delays on procrastination in pigeons","abstract":"Procrastination has been defined as the choice of a larger, later work requirement over a smaller, sooner work requirement. In one experiment (Mazur, 1996), pigeons chose a later-onset work requirement over an earlier-onset work requirement when work requirements were identical and reinforcement was at an equal delay from the choice point. In Phase I of the present experiment, reinforcement was delivered to pigeons immediately upon completion of either an early- or a late-onset work requirement in the terminal links of a concurrent-chains schedule. The early-onset work requirement was preferred. This preference held in Phase 2, when a delay to reinforcement was added, following completion of the early-onset work requirement. These results suggest that when work requirements produce more immediate reinforcement, relative to the choice point, they will be preferred, even when there is a shorter delay to their onset.","abstract_html":"Procrastination has been defined as the choice of a larger, later work requirement over a smaller, sooner work requirement. In one experiment (Mazur, 1996), pigeons chose a later-onset work requirement over an earlier-onset work requirement when work requirements were identical and reinforcement was at an equal delay from the choice point. In Phase I of the present experiment, reinforcement was delivered to pigeons immediately upon completion of either an early- or a late-onset work requirement in the terminal links of a concurrent-chains schedule. The early-onset work requirement was preferred. This preference held in Phase 2, when a delay to reinforcement was added, following completion of the early-onset work requirement. These results suggest that when work requirements produce more immediate reinforcement, relative to the choice point, they will be preferred, even when there is a shorter delay to their onset.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Meginley, Megan Elizabeth"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MA","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Kennon A. Lattal.","Michael Perone","Cheryl McNeil"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2001,"date_issued":"2001-08-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2001-08-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:14:53Z","subjects":["Behavioral psychology","Experimental psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/708"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/708","href":"https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/708","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.708","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Kennon A. 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In one experiment (Mazur, 1996), pigeons chose a later-onset work requirement over an earlier-onset work requirement when work requirements were identical and reinforcement was at an equal delay from the choice point. In Phase I of the present experiment, reinforcement was delivered to pigeons immediately upon completion of either an early- or a late-onset work requirement in the terminal links of a concurrent-chains schedule. The early-onset work requirement was preferred. This preference held in Phase 2, when a delay to reinforcement was added, following completion of the early-onset work requirement. These results suggest that when work requirements produce more immediate reinforcement, relative to the choice point, they will be preferred, even when there is a shorter delay to their onset."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Effects of reinforcement delays on procrastination in pigeons"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Kennon A. Lattal.","Michael Perone","Cheryl McNeil"],"dc:creator":["Meginley, Megan Elizabeth"],"dc:date.available":["2019-01-17T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Procrastination has been defined as the choice of a larger, later work requirement over a smaller, sooner work requirement. In one experiment (Mazur, 1996), pigeons chose a later-onset work requirement over an earlier-onset work requirement when work requirements were identical and reinforcement was at an equal delay from the choice point. In Phase I of the present experiment, reinforcement was delivered to pigeons immediately upon completion of either an early- or a late-onset work requirement in the terminal links of a concurrent-chains schedule. The early-onset work requirement was preferred. This preference held in Phase 2, when a delay to reinforcement was added, following completion of the early-onset work requirement. These results suggest that when work requirements produce more immediate reinforcement, relative to the choice point, they will be preferred, even when there is a shorter delay to their onset."],"dc:identifier":["https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.708","https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/708"],"dc:subject":["Behavioral psychology","Experimental psychology"],"dc:title":["Effects of reinforcement delays on procrastination in pigeons"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["MA"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:14:53Z"}