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| Author(s): |
Gerson Aparecido Yukio Tomanari
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Psicologia (IP/SBD) |
| Defense date: | 1997-11-11 |
| Examining board members: |
Maria Amelia Matos;
Roberto Alves Banaco;
Fani Eta Korn Malerbi;
Tereza Maria Azevedo Pires Serio;
Deisy das Graças de Souza
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| Advisor: | Maria Amelia Matos |
| Abstract | |
The present investigation assessed the conditioned reinforcing value of stimuli that signal reinforcement (S+) and extinction (S-) in the maintenance of pigeons\' observing responses. In the basic procedure employed in the two experiments of this investigation, food-deprived pigeons were given a series of discrete trials. Half of the trials ended with . response-independent food presentation and half without food presentation; the sequence of food and no-food trials was random. At the beginning of each trial, the single response key available in the operant chamber was illuminated with white light. During the trial, pecking the key could change key color from white to red or green, according to whether the current trial was scheduled to end with food or no food. Thus, pecking the white key functioned as an observing response because it produced signaling stimuli (the red and green key colors). In baseline conditions, pecking the white key produced color change on a variable-interval schedule; once changed, keys remained either red or green until the end of the trial. Baseline and experimental conditions alternated, and the experimental conditions differed in the two experiments: In Experiment 1, red or green presentations were contingent upon 15 or 24 pecks in addition to the variable-interval requirement. Results showed that pigeons\' observing behavior adjusted to the experimental condition requirements so that both key colors were produced. The S- key color was produced more often than the S+ color. In Experiment 2, the variable-interval requirements to produce key-color changes were the same in baseline and experimental conditions. However, in the experimental condition, the duration of each green or red illumination was limited to a maximum of 10 s. The white light resumed after 10 s, and the key-color change could be repeated within the same trial (if the subject again met the variable interval schedule requirement). Results showed that the frequency of re-presentation of the S- color was higher than that of the S+ color. The results of both experiments suggest that S- may function as conditioned reinforcer, at least in the present procedure. These results diverge from the data in the existing literature with pigeons, and they indicate that the variables that control pigeons\' observing responses are only partially known at present. Therefore, current conclusions about the reinforcing value of signaling stimuli should be qualified (AU) | |