The effect of reinforcement magnitude on response acquisition with delayed reinforcement

Abstract

In behavior analysis it is usually believed that the temporal contiguity between a response and its reinforcer is fundamental for conditioning. Nevertheless, the acquisition of a new response with delayed reinforcement is possible. Although this phenomenon is reliable, little is known about the systematic effects of magnitude of reinforcement on the acquisition of a new response. The present study explored the effects of magnitude of reinforcement on the acquisition and maintenance of lever-pressing by rats with delayed reinforcement. A 5 (magnitude: 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 food-pellets) x 4 (delay: 3, 6, 12 or 24 s) factorial design was used, with three rats in each combination. Results showed that the acquisition of lever-pressing was faster and frequency of responding higher as a function of increasing the magnitude of reinforcement. However, the effects of magnitude of reinforcement did not vary orderly according to the number of food-pellets, nor with each delay combination. Results replicated the findings of acquisition and maintenance of lever-pressing with delayed reinforcement and of the decreasing delay-gradient. The possibility that acquisition of a new response with delayed reinforcement is a phenomenon of a motivational or superstitious nature is offered.