SELF-CONTROL IN ADULT HUMANS - EFFECTS OF COUNTING AND TIMING

The effects on choice behavior of attempting to interfere with adult f emales' counting and timing behaviors were examined using a self-contr ol paradigm (choices between larger, more delayed and smaller, less de layed reinforcers). Reinforcers consisted of opportunities to earn poi nts exchangeable for money. There were four groups of 10 subjects each : a control group and three groups that listened to a list of numbers during the entire experiment, with two of these groups being asked to perform a counting or a division task with the numbers. Subjects in th e two task groups demonstrated more self-control and earned fewer rein forcers than did subjects in the two no task groups. The results sugge st that subjects with diminished cognitive capacity tend to choose the alternative that gives them the greatest amount of reinforcement in a given trial (the self-control alternative) and that they may not resp ond so as to maximize overall reinforcement. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.