Skip to main content

Some temporal properties of local contrast

Publication ,  Journal Article
Hinson, JM; Staddon, JER
Published in: Behaviour Analysis Letters
January 1, 1981

Pigeons received variable-interval food reinforcement for key pecking during one line-orientation stimulus while key pecking during another line orientation was extinguished (mult VI EXT); the duration of the extinction component was either fixed or variable. When the duration of the extinction stimulus was variable, stable response rate was highest during the initial part of the VI component (positive local contrast) and lowest early in the extinction component (negative local contrast). Early in training the magnitude of positive local contrast was directly related to the duration of the preceding extinction stimulus, but this dependence eventually disappeared. When the duration of the preceding extinction stimulus was constant, positive local contrast disappeared, but was reinstated by a long time-out period introduced part way through each experimental session. These data suggest that local contrast effects represent a temporary disequilibrium between competing activities and the instrumental response.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Behaviour Analysis Letters

ISSN

0166-4794

Publication Date

January 1, 1981

Volume

1

Issue

5

Start / End Page

275 / 281
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Hinson, J. M., & Staddon, J. E. R. (1981). Some temporal properties of local contrast. Behaviour Analysis Letters, 1(5), 275–281.
Hinson, J. M., and J. E. R. Staddon. “Some temporal properties of local contrast.” Behaviour Analysis Letters 1, no. 5 (January 1, 1981): 275–81.
Hinson JM, Staddon JER. Some temporal properties of local contrast. Behaviour Analysis Letters. 1981 Jan 1;1(5):275–81.
Hinson, J. M., and J. E. R. Staddon. “Some temporal properties of local contrast.” Behaviour Analysis Letters, vol. 1, no. 5, Jan. 1981, pp. 275–81.
Hinson JM, Staddon JER. Some temporal properties of local contrast. Behaviour Analysis Letters. 1981 Jan 1;1(5):275–281.

Published In

Behaviour Analysis Letters

ISSN

0166-4794

Publication Date

January 1, 1981

Volume

1

Issue

5

Start / End Page

275 / 281