Indices of Pathology in Acquisition Responses by Mental Patients on a Fixed-Ratio Schedule

Abstract

10 hospitalized psychiatric patients and 5 institution employees were run for 40 min. on an FR 75 schedule in which nickels were used as rein-forcers for button-pressing responses. All Ss were able to learn the response; moreover, there was clear evidence that mental patients' behavior is highly shapable under these conditions and that they will develop a high and consistent rate of responding to immediate reinforcement on FR schedules. Individual differences related to patient status indicate that operant procedures are potentially useful in the assessment of behavior pathology and, perhaps, in the prediction of response to treatment.