Effects of reinforcement magnitude on choice and rate of responding

Abstract

Behavior is sometimes insensitive, and sometimes extremely sensitive, to changes in reinforcement magnitude. The present work attempted to analyze this disparity by comparing, in a single experimental situation, a pigeon's choices with its response rates. Whereas choices varied directly with reinforcement duration, rates of responding were comparatively insensitive to duration changes. These results suggest that the effect of reinforcement magnitude on responding partly depends upon the extent to which responding influences the amount of reinforcement.