An investigation into choice between fixed-interval and mixed-interval schedules of reinforcement

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ABSTRACT

Pigeons were t r a i n e d under concurrent c h a i n schedules i n which t h e i n i t i a l l i n k s were equal a p e r i o d i c schedules. One of t h e two t e r m i n a l l i n k s was always a f i x e d - i n t e r v a l schedule o f 1 0 sec d u r a t i o n . The o t h e r t e r m i n a l l i n k was e i t h e r a two- valued mixed-interval schedule o r

a

f i x e d - i n t e r v a l schedule.

The s h o r t e r o f t h e two i n t e r v a l s comprising t h e mixed-interval schedules was always 5 s e c , t h e longer was e i t h e r 1 0 s e c , 20 s e c , 40

sec,

o r 60

sec.

The number o f times each o f t h e two i n t e r v a l s occurred i n t h e s e mixed-interval schedules was v a r i e d . The d a t a were compared with p r e d i c t i o n s from v a r i o u s models of concurrent chain performance and t h e adequacy

of

t h e s e models was discussed. No one model was a good p r e d i c t o r of a l l t h e d a t a . Davison and Temple

'

^s (submitted f o r p u b l i c a t i o n ) model f i t t e d t h e F I v s

- ^FI

d a t a w e l l and f i t t e d t h e

FI

M I d a t a b e t t e r than any o t h e r model. I t was suggested t h a t a "carry overw from one c o n d i t i o n t o t h e next had a f f e c t e d t h e p r e s e n t d a t a . I t

was

a l s o suggested t h a t t h e way i n which Davison aid Temple's p r e d i c t i o n s d i f f e r e d from t h e obtained p r e f e r e n c e

r a t A v a

was t h e r e s u l t of a weighting of t h e i n t e r v a l s i n t h e M I schedules t h a t changed according

t o

t h e p a r t i c u l a r choice arranged.