Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
PhD
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Kennon A. Lattal
Committee Co-Chair
Karen G. Anderson
Committee Member
Karen G. Anderson
Committee Member
Lindsay Livengood
Committee Member
Kathleen Morrison
Committee Member
Michael Perone
Abstract
The purpose of the present investigation was to examine coordination maintained by the progressive delay of coordination-dependent reinforcement and to compare the effects of unsignaled and signaled delays on coordination maintenance. In Experiment 1, coordination was examined using two multiple schedules in which two components alternated daily. One of the multiple schedules included progressive-delay (Component 1) and a yoked-interval (Component 2) schedule of coordination-dependent reinforcement in the two components. The other multiple schedule contained a progressive-delay (Component 1) and a yoked-interval (Component 2) schedule of coordination-independent reinforcement in the two components. Component 1 always preceded Component 2, and interreinforcer intervals generated from the former component were yoked to the latter. There was a differential effect on the persistence of coordination as a function of the presence and absence of coordination-reinforcer dependency, with the former condition resulting in more persistent coordination compared to the latter. When comparing coordination maintained during progressive-delay and yoked-interval of coordination-dependent reinforcement, coordination was sustained at a higher level with the latter condition. Thus, suggesting the imposition of delay of reinforcement had deteriorating effects on coordination maintenance compared to immediate reinforcement. In Experiment 2, coordination maintenance was examined during unsignaled and signaled delay of coordination-dependent reinforcement using two multiple schedules arranged as in Experiment 1. One of the multiple schedules included unsignaled progressive-delay (Component 1) and a yoked-interval (Component 2) schedule of coordination-dependent reinforcement in the two components. The other schedule contained a signaled progressive-delay (Component 1) and a yoked-interval (Component 2) schedule of coordination-dependent reinforcement in the two components. Persistence of coordination was higher during signaled compared to unsignaled coordination-dependent progressive delay of reinforcement, showing that the presence and absence of a stimulus change accompanying the delay period had a differential effect on the persistence of coordination maintained during progressive delay of coordination-dependent reinforcement.
Recommended Citation
Khaydarov, Firdavs, "Social Coordination Maintained by Progressive Delay of Coordination-Dependent Reinforcement" (2024). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 12492.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/12492