Effects of Delay of Reinforcement and Cues upon Acquisition and Extinction Performance

Abstract

The effects of pairing cues with the termination of a delay of reinforcement interval were studied in a discrete-trial barpress situation. In acquisition, one group of rats received immediate reinforcement while a second group received a 10-sec. delay. Light cues were paired with the presentation of reinforcement for both groups. In extinction each group was split and half the Ss received the cues and half the Ss did not. Resistance to extinction, as measured by barpress latency, was reliably greater for the immediate reinforcement and cue conditions. No interaction between delay and cues was evident.