Effects of limited-target availability on schedule-induced attack

Abstract

Pigeons exposed to a 180-sec fixed-time food schedule could attack a rear-projected conspecific target that was available either (a) continuously throughout the interfood interval, (b) randomly during one 30-sec portion of each interfood interval, or (c) during the final 90 sec of each interval. During continuous-target availability, attack was maximal shortly after food ingestion and progressively decreased thereafter. During random-target availability, five of seven pigeons attacked less per target-access period the later that period occurred within the interfood interval, whereas two subjects exhibited relatively high local attack rates even when access periods occurred within the final third of the interval. When the target was available only during the second half of the interfood interval, attack occurred as soon as the target was presented and progressively decreased throughout the remainder of the target-access period. In general, these results show that schedule-induced attack can be increased by limiting the availability of that target and also indicate that such attack can reliably occur at times other than shortly after food delivery.