EFFECTS OF A DELAY‐REINFORCEMENT PROCEDURE ON PERFORMANCE UNDER IRT > t SCHEDULES1

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Abstract
Water-deprived rats were studied under a compound schedule that prescribed that responses terminating interresponse times (IRTs) greater than a fixed value t1. (IRT > t1 component schedule) initiated a delay of reinforcement interval t2, at the end of which water was presented if the subject did not respond ( > t2 component schedule). If the subject responded before the t2 interval elapsed, the IRT > t1 component schedule was re-initiated and water was not presented. The IRT > t1 and > t2 component schedules were not differentially correlated with distinctive stimuli. Rate of responding during the IRT > t1 component decreased as a function of the value of t2. The magnitude of the decreases in response rate appeared to be proportional to the subject's rate under the IRT > t schedule with no delay of reinforcement (t2 = 0 sec). The effects were independent of the parameter value of the IRT > t1 component schedule and of the rate of reinforcement. The results suggested that “efficiency” of performance under IRT > t schedules can be increased by appropriately arranging brief delays of reinforcement.

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