Utah State University.
J Exp Anal Behav. 2022 Jul;118(1):3-23. doi: 10.1002/jeab.767. Epub 2022 Apr 29.
In delay discounting, preference reversals refer to shifts in preference from a larger-later reward to a smaller-sooner reward. Steep hyperbolic discounting predicts a preference reversal when a smaller-sooner and larger-later reward both become temporally proximal; prior research is consistent with this prediction. Hyperbolic discounting does not predict a preference reversal, however, after an individual chooses a larger-later reward over a smaller-immediate reward; prior research is inconsistent with this prediction. We sought to replicate and extend these findings using a delay of gratification task in rats. The task included a defection response which allowed rats to reverse their preference after choosing a larger-later sucrose reinforcer to instead obtain a smaller-immediate sucrose reinforcer. In Experiment 1, we found that rats would defect on their choice of the larger-later reinforcer, systematically replicating prior research. We also found that experience on the delay of gratification task led to decreases in defection responses. In Experiment 2, we found that prior experience on an intertemporal choice task, with no opportunity to defect, also led to few defection responses on the delay of gratification task. We discuss our findings in the context of whether inhibitory control or temporal learning could be involved in delay of gratification.
在延迟折扣中，偏好反转是指从较大的延迟奖励到较小的即时奖励的偏好转变。陡峭的双曲线折扣预测，当较小的即时奖励和较大的延迟奖励都变得时间接近时，会出现偏好反转；先前的研究与这一预测一致。然而，当个体选择较大的延迟奖励而不是较小的即时奖励时，双曲线折扣并不能预测偏好反转；先前的研究与这一预测不一致。我们试图使用大鼠的延迟满足任务来复制和扩展这些发现。该任务包括一个逃避反应，允许大鼠在选择较大的延迟蔗糖强化物后，转而获得较小的即时蔗糖强化物，从而改变他们的偏好。在实验 1 中，我们发现大鼠会逃避选择较大的延迟强化物，系统地复制了先前的研究。我们还发现，延迟满足任务的经验导致逃避反应减少。在实验 2 中，我们发现，在没有机会逃避的跨时间选择任务上的先前经验，也导致在延迟满足任务上的逃避反应很少。我们在延迟满足的背景下讨论了我们的发现，即抑制控制或时间学习是否可能涉及到延迟满足。
