An Exploration of Reinforcing Behavioural Variability in Discrete Dimensions

Xiuyan Kong; James McEwan; Lewis Bizo; Therese Mary Foster

Abstract

In Experiment 1, 48 participants using a computer created 300 combinations of, shapes, colours and patterns. Half received points when they varied on these three dimensions (VAR) and the other half received the same number of points regardless (YOKE). Responses were more variable for the VAR group but only for colour. In Experiment 2, 114 participants were asked to fill 220 shapes with one of 135 colours. During the first and last 60 trials they received no feedback while for the remaining they received reinforcement when they used a colour that had never been used previously. Overall, the number of colours used increased when reinforcement was provided. Participants used more colours in the last 60 trials than the first; 60% of the colours used were never used during the first 60 trials. That is, the variability in the use of colours increased after participants had been reinforced to vary.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 2014
Event	ABAI 2014: 40th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International - Chicago, United States of America Duration: 23 May 2014 → 27 May 2014

Conference

Conference	ABAI 2014: 40th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International
City	Chicago, United States of America
Period	23/05/14 → 27/05/14

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Psychological Methodology, Design and Analysis

Access to Document

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/17230

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Cite this

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title = "An Exploration of Reinforcing Behavioural Variability in Discrete Dimensions",

abstract = "In Experiment 1, 48 participants using a computer created 300 combinations of, shapes, colours and patterns. Half received points when they varied on these three dimensions (VAR) and the other half received the same number of points regardless (YOKE). Responses were more variable for the VAR group but only for colour. In Experiment 2, 114 participants were asked to fill 220 shapes with one of 135 colours. During the first and last 60 trials they received no feedback while for the remaining they received reinforcement when they used a colour that had never been used previously. Overall, the number of colours used increased when reinforcement was provided. Participants used more colours in the last 60 trials than the first; 60\% of the colours used were never used during the first 60 trials. That is, the variability in the use of colours increased after participants had been reinforced to vary.",

keywords = "Psychological Methodology, Design and Analysis",

author = "Xiuyan Kong and James McEwan and Lewis Bizo and Foster, \{Therese Mary\}",

year = "2014",

language = "English",

note = "ABAI 2014: 40th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International ; Conference date: 23-05-2014 Through 27-05-2014",

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TY - CONF

T1 - An Exploration of Reinforcing Behavioural Variability in Discrete Dimensions

AU - Kong, Xiuyan

AU - McEwan, James

AU - Bizo, Lewis

AU - Foster, Therese Mary

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - In Experiment 1, 48 participants using a computer created 300 combinations of, shapes, colours and patterns. Half received points when they varied on these three dimensions (VAR) and the other half received the same number of points regardless (YOKE). Responses were more variable for the VAR group but only for colour. In Experiment 2, 114 participants were asked to fill 220 shapes with one of 135 colours. During the first and last 60 trials they received no feedback while for the remaining they received reinforcement when they used a colour that had never been used previously. Overall, the number of colours used increased when reinforcement was provided. Participants used more colours in the last 60 trials than the first; 60% of the colours used were never used during the first 60 trials. That is, the variability in the use of colours increased after participants had been reinforced to vary.

AB - In Experiment 1, 48 participants using a computer created 300 combinations of, shapes, colours and patterns. Half received points when they varied on these three dimensions (VAR) and the other half received the same number of points regardless (YOKE). Responses were more variable for the VAR group but only for colour. In Experiment 2, 114 participants were asked to fill 220 shapes with one of 135 colours. During the first and last 60 trials they received no feedback while for the remaining they received reinforcement when they used a colour that had never been used previously. Overall, the number of colours used increased when reinforcement was provided. Participants used more colours in the last 60 trials than the first; 60% of the colours used were never used during the first 60 trials. That is, the variability in the use of colours increased after participants had been reinforced to vary.

KW - Psychological Methodology, Design and Analysis

M3 - Abstract

T2 - ABAI 2014: 40th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International

Y2 - 23 May 2014 through 27 May 2014

ER -