Age, cognitive control and extinction

Abstract

Two groups, one composed of 2 1 2 –3 1 2 year old children, the other of 4 1 2 to 5 1 2 - year-old children, were given a simple operant task and were rewarded on a variable ratio five schedule. The rewards and their eventual exhaustion were visible. The younger Ss gave significantly more extinction Rs than the older Ss. Several explanations of the results are presented. The explanations revolve about the variables of ongoing behavior, reinforcement schedule, discrimination, total display versus critical cue, integration across space, E control, and associationistic versus cognitive contructs.