Failure to obtain value enhancement by within-trial contrast in simultaneous and successive discriminations |
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| Authors: | Arantes Joana Grace Randolph C |
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| Institution: | University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. joana.arantes@canterbury.ac.nz |
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| Abstract: | The present research tested the generality of the “work ethic“ effect described by Clement, Feltus, Kaiser, and Zentall (2000).
In Experiment 1, we trained 10 pigeons on a pair of either simultaneous or successive discriminations. One discrimination
followed a high-effort requirement (20 pecks to the center key) and the other followed a low-effort requirement (1 peck).
Contrary to Clement et al.’s results, we found that preferences between the S+ and S− stimuli in transfer tests depended on the event that initiated the trial: Pigeons preferred the stimulus from the baseline
discrimination whose initiating event was most dissimilar from that preceding the test trial. Preferences were similar but
less extreme in the successive condition. In Experiment 2, we investigated whether test preferences depended on the amount
of training. A total of 12 pigeons were trained on a pair of simultaneous discriminations, except that test sessions were
scheduled after every three baseline sessions. Preferences increased across test sessions but were similar to those in Experiment
1. Together with Vasconcelos, Urcuioli, and Lionello-DeNolf (2007a), our study represents a second failure to replicate Clement
et al.’s work ethic effect. The finding that preference depends on the event that initiates the test trial suggests that choice
probes may not provide unambiguous assessments of stimulus value. |
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