Date of Award
4-1993
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Jack L. Michael
Second Advisor
Dr. Alan Poling
Third Advisor
Dr. Anna Kay Campbell
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Maryann Bush
Abstract
The present study consisted of three experiments in which rats were exposed to two-component multiple schedules of reinforcement. In the first experiment, fifteen responses were required to produce reinforcement in both components of the multiple schedule. In one component 25 g of downward force was always required to operate the response lever. In the other, the force required varied from 25 g to 200 g across conditions. In the second experiment, fifteen responses were required to produce reinforcement in both components of the multiple schedule. In one component 25 g of downward force was always required to operate the response lever. In the other, the force requirement for five consecutive responses at the beginning, middle, or end of each ratio was varied from 25 g to 200 g. In the third experiment, the number of responses required to produce reinforcement was reduced from 15 to 5, and then to 1. Again the effects of altering the force required to operate the lever were examined. In general, the results of the these experiments indicated that as the amount of force required to operate the lever increased, response rates decreased and post-reinforcement pauses increased.
Access Setting
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Ailing, Kenneth Lee, "The Effects of Differing Response Force Requirements on Response Rate and Post-Reinforcement Pause" (1993). Dissertations. 1879.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/1879