Extinction-Induced Variability in Human Behavior

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Extinction-Induced Variability in Human Behavior
Language: English
Authors: Kinloch, Jennifer M., Foster, T. Mary, McEwan, James S. A.
Source: Psychological Record. Sum 2009 59(3):347-369.
Availability: Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Mailcode 4609, Rehabilitation Institute, Carbondale, IL 62901-4609. Tel: 618-536-7704; e-mail: psychrec@siu.edu; Web site: http://www.siuc.edu/~ThePsychologicalRecord/index.html
Peer Reviewed: Y
Physical Description: PDF
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2009
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Descriptors: Behavior Modification, Reinforcement, Experiments, Adults, Psychology, Data, Computers, Behavior
ISSN: 0033-2933
Abstract: Participants earned points by pressing a computer space bar (Experiment 1) or forming rectangles on the screen with the mouse (Experiment 2) under differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedules, followed by extinction. Variability in interresponse time (the contingent dimension) increased during extinction, as for Morgan and Lee (1996); variability in diagonal length (the noncontingent dimension, Experiment 2) did not. In Experiment 3, points were contingent on rectangle size. Rectangle size and interresponse-time (the noncontingent dimension) variability increased in extinction. There was greater variability in the contingent dimension during extinction for participants with the more varied history of reinforcement in Experiment 2 but not in Experiment 3. Overall, variability in the contingent dimension increased in extinction, but the degree of increase was affected by reinforcement history. (Contains 1 table and 10 figures.)
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 14
Entry Date: 2009
Access URL: https://thepsychologicalrecord.siuc.edu/Volume%2059%20(2009)/Summer%20(3)/Kinloch%20Foster%20McEwan%20Abstract.pdf
Accession Number: EJ858072
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Participants earned points by pressing a computer space bar (Experiment 1) or forming rectangles on the screen with the mouse (Experiment 2) under differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedules, followed by extinction. Variability in interresponse time (the contingent dimension) increased during extinction, as for Morgan and Lee (1996); variability in diagonal length (the noncontingent dimension, Experiment 2) did not. In Experiment 3, points were contingent on rectangle size. Rectangle size and interresponse-time (the noncontingent dimension) variability increased in extinction. There was greater variability in the contingent dimension during extinction for participants with the more varied history of reinforcement in Experiment 2 but not in Experiment 3. Overall, variability in the contingent dimension increased in extinction, but the degree of increase was affected by reinforcement history. (Contains 1 table and 10 figures.)
ISSN:0033-2933