Effects of Event Schedules, Event Values, and Instructions on Ability of College Males to Discriminate Acquisition from Extinction

Abstract

A probability learning task was used with 60 college males, in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design combining event schedules (50% and 100%), event values (high and low), and instructions (state and trial). Trial instructions required Ss to indicate whether they expected an event to occur on the next trial only while state instructions required Ss to indicate in effect whether they were in an experimental state of acquisition or extinction. The two sets of instructions produced distinctly different behavior in acquisition and extinction. Event value interacted significantly with event schedule in acquisition and with instructions in extinction. The partial reinforcement effect appeared under both instructional conditions. The event value by event schedule interaction was in the predicted direction but was nonsignificant. Utility of state instructions for studying acquisition and extinction phenomena would be enhanced by requiring Ss to respond under both state and trial instructions as here.