Journal article
HABITUATION TO THE REINFORCER MAY CONTRIBUTE TO MULTIPLE‐SCHEDULE BEHAVIORAL CONTRAST
Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, Vol.69(2), pp.199-220
03/1998
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/107944
PMCID: PMC1284657
PMID: 16812873
Abstract
Habituation to the reinforcer may contribute to multiple‐schedule behavioral contrast. According to this argument, reducing reinforcers in one component of a multiple schedule reduces habituation to the reinforcer. Reducing habituation enhances the value, or effectiveness, of the remaining reinforcers, producing positive contrast. Enriching the reinforcers in one component increases habituation to that reinforcer. Increasing habituation decreases the effectiveness of the reinforcer, producing negative contrast. Such an idea is simple and parsimonious. It is not contradicted by any well‐established finding in the contrast literature. It makes several tested and untested predictions that are unusual. However, habituation cannot explain all contrast. A complete explanation requires postulating that at least one additional mechanism, controlled by the conditions of reinforcement in the following component, also contributes to contrast.
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Details
- Title
- HABITUATION TO THE REINFORCER MAY CONTRIBUTE TO MULTIPLE‐SCHEDULE BEHAVIORAL CONTRAST
- Creators
- Frances K McSweeneyJeffrey N Weatherly
- Publication Details
- Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, Vol.69(2), pp.199-220
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Publisher
- Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Oxford, UK
- Number of pages
- 22
- Identifiers
- 99900547006701842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article