University of Canterbury, Department of Psychology, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand.
J Exp Anal Behav. 2012 Jul;98(1):1-21. doi: 10.1901/jeab.2012.98-1.
In Experiment 1, 4 pigeons were trained on a multiple chain schedule in which the initial link was a variable-interval (VI) 20-s schedule signalled by a red or green center key, and terminal links required four responses made to the left (L) and/or right (R) keys. In the REPEAT component, signalled by red keylights, only LRLR terminal-link response sequences were reinforced, while in the VARY component, signalled by green keylights, terminal-link response sequences were reinforced if they satisfied a variability criterion. The reinforcer rate for both components was equated by adjusting the reinforcer probability for correct REPEAT sequences across sessions. Results showed that initial- and terminal-link responding in the VARY component was generally more resistant to prefeeding, extinction, and response-independent food than responding in the REPEAT component. In Experiment 2, the REPEAT and VARY contingencies were arranged as terminal links of a concurrent chain and the relative reinforcer rate was manipulated across conditions. For all pigeons, initial-link response allocation was biased toward the alternative associated with the VARY terminal link. These results replicate previous reports that operant variation is more resistant to change than operant repetition (Doughty & Lattal, 2001), and show that variation is preferred to repetition with reinforcer-related variables controlled. Behavioral momentum theory (Nevin & Grace, 2000) predicts the covariation of preference and resistance to change in Experiments 1 and 2, but does not explain why these aspects of behavior should depend on contingencies that require repetition or variation.
在实验 1 中，4 只鸽子接受了一项多重链日程安排训练，其中初始链接是由红色或绿色中心键指示的可变间隔（VI）20 秒日程安排，终端链接需要对左侧（L）和/或右侧（R）键做出 4 次响应。在重复组件中，由红色键灯指示，只有满足 LRLR 终端链接响应序列才会得到强化，而在变化组件中，由绿色键灯指示，只要满足变异性标准，终端链接响应序列就会得到强化。通过调整正确重复序列在整个会话中的强化概率，使两个组件的强化率相等。结果表明，在变化组件中，初始链接和终端链接的反应通常比重复组件中的反应更能抵抗预喂食、消退和与反应无关的食物。在实验 2 中，重复和变化的条件被安排为并行链的终端链接，相对强化率在条件之间进行了操纵。对于所有鸽子，初始链接反应分配偏向于与变化终端链接相关联的替代链接。这些结果复制了先前的报告，即操作性变化比操作性重复更能抵抗变化（Doughty & Lattal, 2001），并表明在控制强化相关变量的情况下，变化比重复更受欢迎。行为动力理论（Nevin & Grace, 2000）预测了实验 1 和 2 中偏好和抵抗变化的共变，但没有解释为什么这些行为方面应该取决于需要重复或变化的条件。
