Comparing illusion of control and superstitious behavior: Rate of responding influences judgment of control in a free-operant procedure

Author(s)

Lobato Benvenuti, Marcelo Frota ^{[1, 2]} ; Nogara de Toledo, Thais Ferro ^[3] ; Gomes Simoes, Reinaldo Augusto ^[4] ; Bizarro, Lisiane ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Inst Nacl Ciencia & Tecnol Comportamento, Cogniccio & Ensino, Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Mato Grosso, Campo Grande - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: LEARNING AND MOTIVATION; v. 64, p. 27-33, NOV 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to study similarities between superstitious behavior and illusion of control. We used different motivational instructions to generate high and low rates of responding and exposed participants to noncontingent reinforcement in order to evaluate superstitious behavior and illusion of control. College students (n = 40) responded over three 10-min sessions in a computer-based free operant procedure that alternated signaled periods of noncontingent presentation of points (VT schedule) and periods in which the points were not presented (extinction, EXT). In one group of participants, points were the only reward; for the other group, instructions stated that points were later exchangeable for photocopy vouchers. We compared rates of responding and estimates of control. Points exchangeable for photocopy vouchers produced higher rates of responding and estimates of control. Frequency of response and estimates of control were positively correlated. It was concluded that motivational instructions influenced both rate of responding and judgment of control. Even when a high rate of responding was extended in time (two more sessions for each participant), judgments of control were biased by noncontingent reinforcement. Through direct comparison between superstitious behavior and illusion of control, we showed that behavioral dynamics can be important in studies of illusion of control. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/57705-8 - Institute for the Study of Behavior, Cognition and Teaching
• Grantee: Deisy das Graças de Souza
• Support type: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/22216-0 - Ilusion of control and selction of behavior: the role of social and cultural variables
• Grantee: Marcelo Frota Lobato Benvenuti
• Support type: Regular Research Grants