Academic Journal
Discounting of probabilistic food reinforcement by pigeons.
| Title: | Discounting of probabilistic food reinforcement by pigeons. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Oliveira L; Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA., Green L; Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA., Myerson J; Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA., Wan H; Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA. |
| Source: | Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior [J Exp Anal Behav] 2025 Jul; Vol. 124 (1), pp. e70042. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0203727 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1938-3711 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00225002 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Exp Anal Behav Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: [Malden, MA] : Wiley-Blackwell Original Publication: Waltham, Mass., Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. |
| MeSH Terms: | Delay Discounting* , Reinforcement, Psychology* , Choice Behavior* , Probability Learning*, Animals ; Columbidae ; Conditioning, Operant ; Reinforcement Schedule ; Food ; Probability |
| Abstract: | Two experiments examined pigeons' discounting of probabilistic food reinforcers using a concurrent-chains procedure within sessions combined with an adjusting-amount procedure across sessions. The study is the first to evaluate probability discounting functions in nonhuman animals in which the obtained probability equaled that programmed in each session. In Experiment 1, pigeons chose between a smaller, certain and a larger, but probabilistic food reinforcer. In Experiment 2, the probabilities of receiving both reinforcement options were reduced by a common factor, creating a choice situation in which both options were probabilistic: a smaller, more probable reinforcer and a larger, but less probable reinforcer. Results revealed that regardless of whether choices involved a certain versus a probabilistic reinforcer or they involved two probabilistic reinforcers, subjective value decreased systematically as a function of the odds against receipt of the reinforcer and that the data were well described by the hyperboloid discounting function. In addition, no significant effect of reinforcer amount on degree of probability discounting was observed, consistent with results from studies of the discounting of delayed reinforcers by nonhuman animals. (© 2025 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.) |
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| Grant Information: | RO1 MH055308 United States NH NIH HHS |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: adjusting amount; concurrent chains; hyperboloid; pigeon; probability discounting |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20250715 Date Completed: 20250715 Latest Revision: 20250715 |
| Update Code: | 20260130 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/jeab.70042 |
| PMID: | 40662635 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
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