Procedural antecedents of behavioral contrast: a re-examination of errorless learning

Abstract

Behavioral contrast reliably occurred in pigeons following errorless discrimination training, contrary to Terrace's (1963) observations. In the main experiment, a 60-sec green keylight, associated with a variable-interval 30-sec schedule of reinforcement alternated with a 60-sec period of extinction when the key was dark. Such aspects of the discrimination training procedure as: (1) the amount of prior nondifferential exposure to the positive stimulus before the discrimination was instituted, and (2) the rapidity with which the negative stimulus was introduced (whether progressively or abruptly) directly influenced the amount of behavioral contrast produced. This occurred independently of the number of errors made by a pigeon during acquisition of the discrimination. In a series of control experiments, substitution of a red keylight for the dark key during extinction resulted in greater behavioral contrast, while an increase to 3 min in the duration of the green keylight associated with reinforcement attenuated the behavioral contrast effect.