
Human sensitivity to reinforcement in operant choice: How much do consequences matter?
The results of many human operant conditioning experiments appear to show that humans are less sensitive than nonhumans to operant consequences, suggesting species discontinuities in basic behavioral processes. A reanalysis of 31l data sets from 25 studies employing variable-interval schedules of reinforcement designed to assess sensitivity to reinforcement corroborates the claim that human behavioral allocation among alternatives often deviates from predictions based on rates of experimentally programmed consequences. Close inspection of the studies in question, however, suggests that methodological issues contribute heavily to the differences noted so far between humans and nonhumans and that an explanation based upon species discontinuities is not tenable.
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- Experimental Psychology
- 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
- 1702 Cognitive Sciences
- 1701 Psychology
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Published In
DOI
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Experimental Psychology
- 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
- 1702 Cognitive Sciences
- 1701 Psychology