The distribution of interresponse times in the pigeon during variable-interval reinforcement

Abstract

Three pigeons' pecks were reinforced on 1- and 2-min variable-interval schedules, and frequency distributions of their interresponse times (IRTs) were recorded. The conditional probability that a response would fall into any IRT category was estimated by the interresponse-times-per-opportunity transformation (IRTs/op). The resulting functions were notable chiefly for the relatively low probability of IRTs in the 0.2- to 0.3-sec range; in other respects they varied within and between subjects. The overall level of the curves generally rose over the course of 32 experimental hours, but their shapes changed unsystematically. The shape of the IRT distribution was much the same for VI 1-min and VI 2-min. The variability of these distributions supports the notion that the VI schedule only loosely controls response rate, permitting wide latitude to adventitious effects. There was no systematic evidence that curves changed over sessions to conform to the distribution of reinforcements by IRT.