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Effects of Time-Out Upon Concurrent Operant Responding

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Abstract

Two hooded rats were reinforced on variable-interval schedules of reinforcement on each of two concurrently available response levers. When responding on one lever was punished by time-out from positive reinforcement (retraction of both levers), responding on the punished lever was suppressed and rate of responding on the unpunished lever increased. The preference for the unpunished lever persisted when the variable-interval schedule of reinforcement on this lever was adjusted to relatively lower levels than that on the punished lever. The results favored the view that time-out functioned as an aversive stimulus in this context.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawai, 96822, USA

    John G. Carlson & Richard E. Aroksaar

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  1. John G. Carlson
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  2. Richard E. Aroksaar
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Additional information

This research was supported by Biomedical Sciences and Intramural Research Grants from the University of Hawaii Research Council to the first author.

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Carlson, J.G., Aroksaar, R.E. Effects of Time-Out Upon Concurrent Operant Responding. Psychol Rec 20, 365–371 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393954

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393954

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