Abstract
Three male homing pigeons were trained on a two-key MULT FR-hi FR-lo schedule with a restrained, but nonaccessible targe bird present. A tone always signaled whether a high or a low FR requirement was in effect. Responses on either key produced food, but choice of only one of the keys simultaneously produced access to the restrained target. Access was contingent on key position for two of the birds and on key color for the third. Choice data across trials indicated that in the FR-hi periods Ss had a gradually increasing preference for the access key, but during the FR-lo periods no such increase in preference occurred. These results suggest that access to a target bird is reinforcing when the S is confronted with a difficult FR schedule. Confrontation with an easy FR schedule does not produce the reinforcing effect.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
AZRIN, N. H. Time-out from positive reinforcement. Science, 1961, 133, 382–383.
AZRIN, N. H., HAKE, D. F., & HUTCHINSON, R. R. Elicitation of aggression by a physical blow. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1965, 8, 55–57.
AZRIN, N. H., HUTCHINSON, R. R., & HAKE, D. F. Extinction-induced aggression. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1966, 9, 191–204.
AZRIN, N. H., HUTCHINSON, R. R., & McLAUGHLIN, R. The opportunity for aggression as an operant reinforcer during aversive stimulation. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1965, 8, 171–180.
COLE, J. M., & LITCHFIELD, P. M. Stimulus control of schedule-induced aggression in the pigeon. Psychonomic Science, 1969, 17, 152–153.
GENTRY, W. D. Fixed-ratio schedule-induced aggression. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1968, 11, 813–817.
TERRACE, H. S. Stimulus control. In W. K. Honig (Ed.), Operant behavior: Areas of research and application. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1966.
THOMPSON, D. M. Escape from SD associated with fixed-ratio reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1964, 7, 1–8.
ULRICH, R. E., HUTCHINSON, R. R., & AZRIN, N. H. Pain-elicited aggression. Psychological Record, 1965, 15, 111–126.
WAGNER, A. R. Conditioned frustration as a learned drive. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1963, 66, 142–148.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The project was done at the University of Portland, Portland, Oregon. The completion of the final manuscript was supported by NIH Grant RR-00165 to the Yerkes Regional Primate Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cole, J.M., Parker, B.K. Schedule-induced aggression: Access to an attackable target bird as a positive reinforcer. Psychon Sci 22, 33–35 (1971). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335924
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335924