Studies on the interaction of amount and delay of reinforcement in choice.

本研究探讨了在同时选择和连续选择的情况下，强化的数量和延迟的相互作用。在同时选择的情况下，大鼠之间的选择不同的数量和延迟的强化。首先，延迟的比率恒定在3：2，而它们的绝对值是变化的。较短的延迟终止于1个食物颗粒，而较长的延迟终止于3个食物颗粒。随着强化延迟的绝对值增加，对延迟时间更长但更大的强化者的偏好增加。第二，食物颗粒的数量是不同的，而在一个替代品是恒定的（1粒），在另一个替代品下，两个不同的终端链接的并发链时间表。大鼠与较短的终端链接（5秒），而他们与较长的终端链接（20秒）的反应比匹配不足的数量比。在连续选择的情况下，大鼠和鸽子暴露于觅食时间表，其特征在于三个不同的状态（搜索，选择和处理状态）。持续时间较短（或较小）的干扰更有可能被接受的处理时间较长（或较大）的干扰之前。所有的结果都与选择模型的预测不一致，该模型假设了强化量和强化延迟的简单乘法交互作用。

The present study investigated the interaction of amount and delay of reinforcement in concurrent and successive choice situations. In concurrent choice situations, rats were given a choice between alternatives differing in amount and delay of reinforcement. First, the ratio of the delays was constant at 3:2 while their absolute values were varied. The shorter delay terminated with 1 food pellet whereas the longer delay terminated with 3 food pellets. As the absolute values of the delays to reinforcement increased, preference for the longer-delayed but larger reinforcer increased. Second, the number of food pellets was varied in one alternative while it was constant (1 pellet) in the other alternative under two different terminal link schedules of a concurrent-chains schedule. Rats undermatched the response ratios to reinforcer amount ratios with the shorter terminal links (5 sec) whereas they overmatched with the longer terminal links (20 sec). In successive choice situations, rats and pigeons were exposed to a foraging schedule characterized by three different states (search, choice and handling states). The shorter duration (or smaller) reinforcer was more likely to be accepted the longer the handling time preceding the longer duration (or larger) reinforcer. All ofthe results are inconsistent with the predictions derived from the choice model assuming a simple multiplicative interaction of amount and delay of reinforcement.