Date of Award
8-1982
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. David O. Lyon
Second Advisor
Dr. Richard Malott
Third Advisor
Dr. Jack Michael
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Rats' lever pressing was studied in two experiments involving mixed schedules with equivalent interval and differential-reinforcementof- other-behavior components. It was observed that temporal stimuli controlled latency times when fixed temporal criteria were used, that this control weakened as temporal criteria were increased from 3 to 7 to 15 seconds, and that it was usually weak regarding interresponse times. The mean number of lever presses per trial was likely to increase in the process, although ulterior decreases were apparent for two of the seven subjects. When random temporal criteria (approximately averaging 8 seconds) replaced fixed ones, the response rate increased. Rapid changes in response rate were recorded when simple schedules were operational. These results were interpreted as contradicting Seligman's learned helplessness model of depression.
Recommended Citation
Villareal, Marcelo Jose, "On the Effects of Mixed Fi-Dro and Mixed Ri-Rdro Schedules on Rats' Lever Pressing" (1982). Masters Theses. 1746.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1746