Observing behavior during interval schedules

Abstract

Experiment 1 showed that the three stimuli associated with three chained fixed-interval links could be used to maintain observing behavior. Experiment 2 showed that three stimuli correlated with the passage of time since the last reinforcement in a fixed-interval schedule could be used to maintain observing behavior. In both experiments most observing responses occurred midway between reinforcements. Few occurred just before or just after reinforcement. Experiment 3 showed that the decline in the rate of observing behavior just before reinforcement was reduced when more stimuli could be observed. The relatively high terminal rate of observing behavior that resulted was maintained even when at least 4 sec intervened between the reinforcement and the last observed stimulus.