Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Michael Perone

Committee Member

Ryan Best

Committee Member

Kennon A. Lattal

Abstract

A conditioned reinforcer derives its function from a relation to an established reinforcer. Respondent views suggest that a stimulus acquires reinforcing properties because it is positively correlated with an established reinforcer. Alternatively, the information hypothesis suggests that a stimulus acquires reinforcing properties because it reduces uncertainty about the likelihood of an established reinforcer. Observing response procedures have been used to evaluate the function of stimuli positively correlated (S+), negatively correlated (S-), and uncorrelated (S1, S2) with established reinforcers such as food (with animals) or money (with humans). Verbal instructions have been shown to alter the extent to which correlated and uncorrelated stimuli reinforce responding in human subjects (Perone & Kaminski, 1992). The present experiment assessed the reinforcing function of these stimuli with subjects not susceptible to instructional control – pigeons. The pigeons earned food reinforcers by pecking a key on a compound schedule: A variable-interval 60-s schedule of food reinforcement alternated irregularly with extinction. On each side of the food key was an observing key. Observing pecks produced, intermittently, brief displays of the stimulus correlated or uncorrelated with the ongoing component of the food schedule. The reinforcing function of the correlated and uncorrelated stimuli was assessed by manipulating the consequences of responding on the two observing keys across three comparisons: (a) S+ and S- vs. S1 and S2, (b) S+ vs. S1, and (c) S- vs. S2. Consistent with respondent accounts of conditioned reinforcement, S+ functioned as a conditioned reinforcer in that is maintained responding, and S-, S1, and S2 did not.

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