Abstract
The effects of schedule of reinforcement (partial vs. consistent) and delay of reward (0 to 20 sec) on running in rats were examined in two investigations. The effects of delay depended upon schedule of reinforcement; acquisition speed decreased as delay increased under consistent reinforcement, a common finding, while acquisition speed was independent of delay under partial reinforcement, a new finding. The partial-reinforcement acquisition effect or PRAE is defined as faster acquisition speed under partial than under consistent reinforcement. Because running speed was independent of delay under partial reinforcement, but decreased as delay increased under consistent reinforcement, the PRAE increased as delay of reinforcement increased.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Campbell, P.E. & Knouse S.B. Extinction following delayed reward: A review.Psychonomic Monograph Supplements, 1972,4(15, Whole No. 63)
Capaldi, E.J. Partial reward either following or preceding consistent reward: A case of reinforcement level.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1974,102, 954–962.
Capaldi, E.J. Reinforcement level: An expectancy-associative approach to relative reinforcement and nonreinforcement effects. In G. McCain (Ed.),The Arlington Symposium on learning. Stamford, Connecticut: Greylock, in press.
Capaldi, E.J., &Haggbloom, S.J. Influence of reward magnitude on the initial nonreward effect.Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1974,3, 219–221.
Goodrich, K.P. Performance in different segments of an instrumental response chain as a function of reinforcement schedule.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1959,59, 57–63.
Lehr, R. Partial reward and positive contrast effects.Animal Learning & Behavior, 1974,3, 221–224.
Theios, J. The partial reinforcement effect sustained through blocks of continuous reinforcement.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1962,64, 1–6.
Theios, J. &McGinnis, R.W. Partial reinforcement before and after continuous reinforcement.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1967,73, 479–481.
Wagner, A.R. Effects of amount and percentage of reinforcement and number of acquisition trials on conditioning and extinction.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1961,63, 234–242.
Wilton, R.N., &Clements, R.O. Information and the partial reinforcement acquisition effect.Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1973,25, 147–153.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported in part by National Institute of Child Health and Development Grant HD 04379 to E. J. Capaldi.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Capaldi, E.J. Effects of schedule and delay of reinforcement on acquisition speed. Animal Learning & Behavior 6, 330–334 (1978). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209622
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209622