Skip to main content
Log in

Individual Differences in Human Fixed-Interval Performance

  • Published:
The Psychological Record Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Thirty-two undergraduates were exposed to a fixed-interval 60-s schedule. There were extreme individual differences in postreinforcement pauses and response rates. Such individual differences persisted for 60 sessions with a total of 1200 reinforcers. The total number of errors made on the Matching Familiar Figures Test was negatively correlated with the postreinforcement pause and positively correlated with the response rate. These results demonstrate that individual differences in human fixed-interval performance are robust and reliable, and relate to impulsiveness.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • BARON, A., KAUFMAN, A., & STAUBER, K. A. (1969). Effects of instructions and reinforcement feedback on human operant behavior maintained by fixed-interval reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 12, 701–712.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • BARON, A., & PERONE, M. (1998). Experimental design and analysis in the laboratory study of human operant behavior. In K. A. LATTAL & M. PERONE (Eds.), Handbook of research methods in human operant behavior (pp. 45–91). New York: Plenum Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • BENNETT, R. H., MILLER, H. L., & BUSKIST, W. F. (1984). Human performance on modified fixed-interval schedules. The Psychological Record, 34, 99–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BENTALL, R. P., LOWE, C. F., & BEASTY, A. (1985). The role of verbal behavior in human learning: Ii. Developmental differences. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 43, 165–181.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • BERNSTEIN, D. J. (1988). Laboratory lore and research practices in the experimental analysis of human behavior: Designing session logistics— How long, how often, how many? The Behavior Analyst, 11, 51–58.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • BRESENHAM, J. L, & SHAPIRO, M. M. (1972). Learning strategies in children from different socioeconomic levels. In H.W. REESE (Ed.), Advances in child development and behavior (Vol. 7, pp. 32–79). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • BUSKIST, W. R., BENNETT, R. H., & MILLER, H. L (1981). Effects of instructional constraints on human fixed-interval performance. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 35, 217–225.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • BUSKIST, W. F., MILLER, H. L, & BENNETT, R. H. (1980). Fixed-interval performance in humans: Sensitivity to temporal parameters when food is the reinforcer. The Psychological Record, 30, 111–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DARCHEVILLE, J. C., RIVIERE, V., & WEARDEN, J. H. (1992). Fixed-interval performance and self-control in children. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 57, 187–199.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • DARCHEVILLE, J. C., RIVIERE, V., & WEARDEN, J. H. (1993). Fixed-interval performance and self-control in infants. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 60, 239–254.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • GALIZIO, M. (1979). Contingency-shaped and rule-governed behavior: Instructional control of human loss avoidance. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 31, 53–70.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • GJERDE, P. F., BLOCK, J., & BLOCK, J. H. (1985). Longitudinal consistency of Matching Familiar Figures Test performance from early childhood to preadolescence. Developmental Psychology, 21, 262–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GLOW, R. A., LANGE, R. V., GLOW, P. H., & BARNETT, J. A. (1983). Cognitive and self-reported impulsiveness: Comparison of Kagan’s Mfft and Eysenck’s Epq impulsiveness measures. Personality and Individual Differences, 4, 179–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HARZEM, P. (1984). Experimental analysis of individual differences and personality. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 42, 385–395.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • KAGAN, J. (1966). Reflection-impulsivity: The generality and dynamics of conceptual tempo. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 71, 17–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LEANDER, J. D., LIPPMAN, L. G., & MEYER, M. E. (1968). Fixed interval performance as related to subjects’ verbalizations of the reinforcement contingency. The Psychological Record, 18, 469–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LIPPMAN, L. G., & MEYER, M. E. (1967). Fixed-interval performance as related to instructions and to subjects’ verbalizations of the contingency. Psychonomic Science, 8, 135–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LOGUE, A. W. (1988). Research on self-control: An integrating framework. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 11, 665–709.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LOWE, C. F. (1979). Determinants of human operant behaviour. In M. D. ZEILER & P. HARZERN (Eds.), Advances in analysis of behavior: Vol. 1. Reinforcement and the organization of behaviour (pp. 159–192). Chichester, England: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • MATTHEWS, B. A., SHIMOFF, E., CATANIA, A. C., & SAGVOLDEN, T. (1977). Uninstructed human responding: Sensitivity to ratio and interval contingencies. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 27, 453–467.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • OKOUCHI, H. (1993). Ningen no schedule performance (2): Fl performance ni oyobosu hannou cost no kouka [Schedule performance in humans (2): Effects of response cost on the fixed-interval performance]. Proceedings of the 11th meeting of the Japanese Association for Behavior Analysis, 57–58.

  • ROSENFARB, I.S., BURKER, E. J., MORRIS, S.A., & CUSH, D.T. (1993). Effects of changing contingencies on the behavior of depressed and nondepressed individuals. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102, 642–646.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SIDMAN, M. (1960). Tactics of scientific research: Evaluating experimental data in psychology. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • SKINNER, B. F. (1938). The behavior of organisms. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • SKINNER, B. F. (1956). A case history in scientific method. American Psychologist, 11, 221–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VAN DEN BROEK, M. D, BRADSHAW, C. M., & SZABADI, E. (1987). Behaviour of “impulsive” and “non-impulsive” humans in a temporal differentiation schedule of reinforcement. Personality and Individual Differences, 8, 233–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WEINER, H. (1962). Some effects of response cost upon human operant behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 5, 201–208.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • WEINER, H. (1964). Response cost effects during extinction following fixed-interval reinforcement in humans. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 7, 333–335.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • WEINER, H. (1969). Controlling human fixed-interval performance. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 12, 349–373.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • WULFERT, E., GREENWAY, D. E., FARKAS, P., HAYES, S. C., & DOUGHER, M. J. (1994). Correlation between self-reported rigidity and rule-governed insensitivity to operant contingencies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 659–671.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hirota Okouchi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Okouchi, H. Individual Differences in Human Fixed-Interval Performance. Psychol Rec 52, 173–186 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395422

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395422

Navigation