Maintenance Of Key Pecking By Response-Independent Food Presentation: The Role Of The Modality Of The Signal For Food

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-1973

Published In

Journal Of The Experimental Analysis Of Behavior

Abstract

Three naive pigeons were exposed to a series of two-component multiple schedules of response-independent food presentation. The component schedules were sometimes identical (non-differential procedures) and sometimes different (differential procedures). High rates of key pecking were maintained in all the differential procedures, and pecking decreased substantially in non-differential procedures, even when the frequency of food presentation in non-differential procedures was higher than in differential procedures. It is suggested that the high rates of key pecking were maintained not by adventitious response-reinforcer contingencies, but by differential contingencies between the stimulus (keylight) and food. The role of such contingencies in the phenomenon of behavioral contrast is discussed.

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS