John Lamberth

Sequential variables as determinant! of human performance with attitudinal reinforcements

The present experiments were undertaken to investigate the effects of variables which have proven important in sequential theory upon performance when attitudinal stimuli and human Ss were used. Ss were presented with either long or short N-lengths (the number of consecutive nonrewarded trials followed by a rewarded trial). The long N-length group proved to be more resistant to extinction than the short N-length group, but the significance level was marginal (F = 2.36, df = 1/38, p <.13) for a timed measure of extinction, while it was highly significant for a verbal report measure of extinction (F = 8.58, df = 1/38, p <.006). Two additional groups were run, one being continuously reinforced (RR) and the other receiving 50% reinforcement, but with all of its nonrewarded trials preceding its reinforced trials (NR). Group NR was more resistant to extinction than Group RR.

Differential reward magnitude and human conditioning with social reinforcers

In two separate investigations, human Ss received social stimuli as reinforcers in a discrete-trials paradigm of instrumental conditioning. The major variable of interest was reward magnitude utilizing stimuli from attraction research. In the first experiment, a group receiving large reward performed the instrumental response faster than a group receiving small reward. In a second experiment, two groups received large and small reward, respectively, and a third group received differential magnitudes of reward (both large and small) correlated with external stimuli. The results indicated that the differential group was depressed below both the large and small groups in the first portion of the response. These data (1) demonstrate magnitude of reward effects in an instrumental learning paradigm utilizing human Ss and (2) indicate that attraction stimuli function in an analogous manner to more traditional reinforcers.

Agreeing attitudinal statements as positive reinforcers in instrumental conditioning

The effects of partial reinforcement (PR) in both acquisition and extinction were investigated. Using attitudes as reinforcers in an instrumental conditioning situation, the PR group proved to be more,, resistant to extinction than a continuously reinforced (CRF) group. More importantly, the PR group showed faster asymptotic acquisition speeds than did the CRF group, indicating that the present situation is an analog to reward conditioning. Thus, similar attitudes may be seen as positive, not negative, reinforcers.

Students' Attitudes and Absenteeism, a Possible Link

64 undergraduates were asked to imagine that they had awakened during the middle of the week not feeling very well and had to decide whether to go to work or not. They were told that they worked in a 2-person office and were given information about their work partner. All of the information, with the exception of 15 attitudes, was standardized across conditions. The attitudinal information was simulated to agree with S on either 20%, 47%, or 80% of the items. Ss were then asked to indicate whether they would go to work and to evaluate their work partner. As agreement between S and the work partner increased, attraction toward the work partner increased (F = 22.64, df = 2/61, p < .01). Also, as attitudinal similarity increased, Ss indicated a greater willingness to go to work (F = 4.27, df = 2/61, p < .05). Applications of the present results to industrial settings were discussed.