Ap. Mclean et al., RESISTANCE TO CHANGE AS A FUNCTION OF STIMULUS-REINFORCER AND LOCATION-REINFORCER CONTINGENCIES, Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, 66(2), 1996, pp. 169-192
Pigeons responded on two keys in each component of a multiple concurre
nt schedule. In one series of conditions the distribution of reinforce
rs between keys within one component was varied so as to produce chang
es in ratios of reinforcer totals for key locations when summed across
components. In a second series, reinforcer allocation between compone
nts was varied so as to produce changes in ratios of reinforcer totals
for components, summed across key locations. In each condition, resis
tance to change was assessed by presenting response-independent reinfo
rcers during intercomponent blackouts and (for the first series) by ex
tinction of responding on both keys in both components. Resistance to
change for response totals within a component was always greater for t
he component with the larger total reinforcer rate. However, resistanc
e to change for response totals at a key location was not a positive f
unction of total reinforcement for pecking that key; indeed, relative
resistance to extinction for the two locations showed a weak negative
relation to ratios of reinforcer totals for key location. These result
s confirm the determination of resistance to change by stimulus-reinfo
rcer contingencies.