Changed Content within a Reinforced Response Class

Abstract
Reinforcement and other experimental manipulations may influence the content as well as the frequency of verbal behavior. Evidence was presented from five studies ( N = 283) in which emotional words, EW, were reinforced in TAT-like situations. EW used during reinforced trials were pleasanter than those used during operant trials; differential experimental manipulations led to differential pleasantness of EW; pleasantness of EW used during operant trials was significantly associated with personality test measures, particularly anxiety and hostility. The results bear on the role of reinforcement in social influencing situations and provide an additional measure of the effect of reinforcement.

This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit: