Digital Commons @ Connecticut College

Title

Differential reinforcement of other behavior and response suppression: the effects of the response-reinforcement interval

Authors

Thomas S. Rieg, University of Rhode Island
Nelson F. Smith, University of Rhode Island
Stuart Vyse, Connecticut CollegeFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 1993

Comments

Initally published in Psychological Record, Spring93, Vol. 43, p271-288.

© 1993 by Southern Illinois University

Reprinted with permission from: http://thepsychologicalrecord.siu.edu/

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted comparing the effects of the relationship between the response-reinforcement interval and the reinforcement-reinforcement interval in a differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) contingency. The experiments followed an acquisition, treatment, and reacquisition sequence where rats were trained to press a lever for food, were exposed to response elimination contingencies (DRO and extinction), and finally tested for the effectiveness of their respective treatment conditions. Experiment 1 shows that the longer the response-reinforcement interval the more effective the suppressive effects of DRO. Experiment 2 shows that it is the relationship of the response-reinforcement interval to the reinforcement-reinforcement interval that is important for the effectiveness of DRO. Experiment 3 shows that the base schedule used during training can determine the durability of the treatment procedure used. Implications for the applied literature using DRO and extinction are discussed.

1

Recommended Citation

Rieg, T. S., Smith, N. F. & Vyse, S. A. (1993). Differential reinforcement of other behavior and response suppression: the effects of the response-reinforcement interval. Psychological Record, 43, 271-288.

Previous Versions

Feb 19 2013