Latencies on response-initiated fixed-interval schedules: Effects of signaling food availability

Abstract

Three pigeons were trained on a response-initiated fixed-interval schedule of food reinforcement where the first keypeck in the presence of one key color changed the key color and started a fixed time interval, after which a keypeck produced food. The latency to begin the fixed-interval component was an increasing function of the fixed-interval duration, which was either 40 or 80 sec. At both interval durations, a condition was also studied where the key color changed again at the end of the fixed interval, signaling the availability of food reinforcement. Adding the signal reduced the rate of keypecking during the fixed-interval component but did not systematically affect the initial latency to start the fixed-interval component.