Abstract
Acquisition and extinction of button pressing on multiple schedules of continuous-continuous (CRF/CRF), variable ratio n-variable ratio n (VRn/VRn), and CRF/VRn schedules of reinforcement were examined using human subjects. In contrast to similar animal studies, responding during acquisition was consistently higher on CRF schedules relative to VR groups and components. Extinction data for between-subject comparisons of schedules showed typical partial reinforcement effects (PREs). Within-subject comparisons revealed small but reliable reversed partial reinforcement effects (RPREs). These data extend the findings of the RPRE in nonhuman animals to humans. The validity of the PRE as a universal generalization for extinction phenomena is examined and rejected.
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We would like to thank Kathryn H. Smith for her help in data collection.
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Flora, S.R., Pavlik, W.B. Conventional and reversed partial reinforcement effects in human operant responding. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 28, 429–432 (1990). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334059
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334059