Rapid Acquisition of Preference in Concurrent Chains: Effects of "d"-Amphetamine on Sensitivity to Reinforcement Delay

Autor/inn/en	Ta, Wei-Min; Pitts, Raymond C.; Hughes, Christine E.; McLean, Anthony P.; Grace, Randolph C.
Titel	Rapid Acquisition of Preference in Concurrent Chains: Effects of "d"-Amphetamine on Sensitivity to Reinforcement Delay
Quelle	In: Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 89 (2008) 1, S.71-91 (21 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0022-5002
Schlagwörter	Preferences; Reinforcement; Intervals; Time; Selection; Animals; Stimulants + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Positive Verstärkung; Zeit; Auslese; Animal; Tier; Tiere; Droge
Abstract	The purpose of this study was to examine effects of "d"-amphetamine on choice controlled by reinforcement delay. Eight pigeons responded under a concurrent-chains procedure in which one terminal-link schedule was always fixed- interval 8 s, and the other terminal-link schedule changed from session to session between fixed-interval 4 s and fixed-interval 16 s according to a 31-step pseudorandom binary sequence. After sufficient exposure to these contingencies (at least once through the pseudorandom binary sequence), the pigeons acquired a preference for the shorter reinforcement delay within each session. Estimates of the sensitivity to reinforcement immediacy were similar to those obtained in previous studies. For all pigeons, at least one dose of "d"-amphetamine attenuated preference and, hence, decreased estimates of sensitivity to reinforcement immediacy; in most cases, this effect occurred without a change in overall response rates. In many cases, the reduced sensitivity to reinforcement delay produced by "d"-amphetamine resulted primarily from a decrease in the asymptotic level of preference achieved within the session; in some cases, "d"-amphetamine produced complete indifference. These findings suggest that a reduction in the sensitivity to reinforcement delay may be an important behavioral mechanism of the effects of psychomotor stimulants. (Contains 2 tables and 8 figures.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Available from: Indiana University Department of Psychology. Bloomington, IN 47405-1301. Tel: 812-334-0395; FAX: 812-855-4691; e-mail: jeab@indiana.edu; Web site: http://seab.envmed.rochester.edu/jeab/index.html
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10