THE EFFECTS OF A PRE‐TIME‐OUT STIMULUS ON MATCHING‐TO‐SAMPLE OF HUMANS1,2

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Abstract
In each of two experiments human subjects were intermittently reinforced with money on a fixed-ratio schedule for emitting correct matching responses. A pre-time-out stimulus which signaled removal of positive reinforcement was periodically superimposed. In the first experiment the superimposed pre-time-out stimulus was paired with a 1-min or 4-min response-independent time out. In the second experiment the pre-time-out stimulus was paired with a 1-min or 4-min time out contingent on the incorrect responses. The pre-time-out stimulus did not markedly influence performance when the time out was response independent. In contrast, the pre-time-out stimulus markedly suppressed incorrect responding when the time out was contingent on the incorrect responses. When duration of this time-out was increased from 1-min to 4-min, suppression of incorrect responding increased and correct responding was suppressed. Therefore, behavioral suppression by a pre-time-out stimulus was obtained only when the signaled aversive event—time out—was response produced. In this case, suppression was influenced by time-out duration.

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