Effects of competing reactions on the conditioning curve for bar pressing.

Abstract

"Two groups of rats were first conditioned to press one bar [Skinner box] for water reinforcement, then conditioned to press the second bar while the first learned response was being extinguished. Acquisition curves obtained under the two conditions appear virtually identical in form, differing only with respect to initial rates of responding. In each experiment, the course of the second conditioning could be predicted accurately from a knowledge of the initial strength of the second response and the parameters of the first conditioning curve. This evidence is regarded as supporting the view that in general the form of conditioning curves is determined to an important extent by the concurrent extinction of competing reactions." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)