Abstract
Three pigeons were trained to respond on a fixed-interval 300-sec schedule. Blackouts were introduced following each unreinforced response during either the first 180 sec or the last 120 sec of the interval. Blackouts reduced responding, with the greatest reduction occurring when they occurred during the last 120 sec of the interval. Only blackouts during the last 120 sec of the interval resulted in consistent decreases in pause length. These results are not consistent with the view that blackouts are neutral stimuli that simply function to reduce the number of interreinforcement responses.
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The authors thank E. K. Crossman and K. A. Lattal for their helpful comments on a previous version of this manuscript.
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Alferink, L.A., Nunes, D.L. The postreinforcement pause and the blackout procedure: Are blackouts neutral stimuli?. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 31, 139–142 (1993). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334163
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334163