Further evidence of interaction between deprivation effects and stimulus control of responding: III

Abstract

Four pigeons were given baseline training under a multiple VI 60-sec/VI 60-sec schedule of food reinforcement. One component was correlated with a red key light to which a white light was added in order to signal the availability of a reinforcer. Under the other component, the key light was green at all times. This procedure resulted in few responses under the signaled component, except when the reinforcer was available, and consistent responding at high rates under the unsignaled component. Variations in hours of deprivation produced small increases in responding under the unsignaled component and no change under the signaled component. Systematic changes in body weight produced greater differential effects under the two components. Increases in deprivation resulted in increased responding during the unsignaled component, with little or no change in the rate of responding under the signaled component. The results suggest that when stimulus control results in low rates of response the influence of deprivation is diminished in relation to its effects upon behavior which is controlled at a high rate by a specific stimulus.