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The partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE). Frode Svartdal University of Tromsø. Extinction: Basics. Extinction is defined in terms of a reinforcement process Extinction contingencies The stimulus (S R or US) is discontinued The learning contingency is discontinued
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The partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) Frode Svartdal University of Tromsø
Extinction: Basics • Extinction is defined in terms of a reinforcement process • Extinction contingencies • The stimulus (SR or US) is discontinued • The learning contingency is discontinued • Extinction process • The conditioned response is reduced (strength, frequency, etc.) • Relearning, … not forgetting
Extinction: Basics Operant conditioning Catania, 1984)
Extinction: Basics Classical conditioning
Factors affecting the extinction rate • In general: Fast acquisition / high rate of responding fast extinction • Amount of reward • High fast extinction • Variability • Stimulus • Response • Reinforcement • Some forms of learning do not extinguish (easily) • Evaluative conditioning (e.g., Diaz, Ruiz, & Beyens, 2005) = high ext. persistence
Factors affecting the extinction rate • Partial Reinforcement Extinction Effect • Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement (PRF) increased extinction response • Continuous Reinforcement (CRF) reduced extinction persistence
First demonstrations Operant conditioning; free operant; rats; Skinner (1938) Classical conditioning; blink response; students; Humphreys (1939) 50% 100%
Free operant Ferster & Culbertson, 1975
EXTINCTION Free operant • Compared to CRF: • PRF • higher asymptotes • more persistent • responding under • extinction PRF CRF
Rats, maze running speed under extinction (Weinstock, 1954) PRF (30%) CRF
Classical conditioning (rats): PREE Extinction 25% PRF response rate LOWER than CRF response rate 50% 100% 15%
Classical conditioning; eyelid; human subjects (Svartdal & Flaten, in prep.)
Operant conditioning; humans; Svartdal, 2003, Exp. 4
Conclusions (… preliminary) • PREE is a very robust outcome • Measures & species • Bar pressing, rats • Maze running, rats • Pecking, pigeons • Blink reflex, humans, rabbits • … • Contingency • Operant/instrumental • Discrete trial • Free operant • Classical
But… • How general is the PREE? • Reversed PREE observed under some conditions • Generalized PREE observed under some conditions • Alternative methods of analysis • Nevin (1988): ”PREE is an artefact because of wrong method of analzing extinction performance” • Response unit issue • PREE or not dependig on how the response is defined (Mowrer & Jones, 1945!
Reversed PREE What happens if the subject is exposed to a mixture of PRF and CRF contingencies?
Reversed PREE Pavlik & Carlton, 1965: Rats; bar pressing, free operant • Gr. 1: Single contingency; CRF • Gr. 2: Single contingency; PRF • Gr. 3: Two signalled schedules alternated for the same subjects; CRF + PRF
Reversed PREE Conventional PREE
Reversed PREE Reversed PREE
Reversed PREE Pavlik & Carlton (1965): • Single reinforcement schedules (CRF vs. PRF) in between-groups experiments PREE • Two schedules (CRF vs. PRF) for the same subjects Reversed PREE Other research • Reversed PREE observed • Generalized PREE (overall increased persistence, but no difference between conditions) • Conventional PREE rarely if ever observed in within-subjects manipulations of CRF - PRF
If applied to a situation with a very specific schecule for a specific behavior PREE Example: Single mother – child is begging for toys only from mom If applied to various situations with mixed contingencies Reversed PREE Generalized PREE Example: Mother and father – child begs for toys from both PREE as a generalization: Ecological validity
PREE as a generalization • Relevance to ADHD • Complex schedules RPREE or GPREE, not PREE • Factors associated with slower learning slower extinction • Attentional problems, difficulties with concentration, memory, … • Would add to biological factors
Free operant responding: What is the response unit? Mowrer & Jones,1945: What should be counted as the response unit - single responses or the unit of responses required for reinforcement? • Free-operant • Intermittent reinforcemet, e.g., FR4
Response unit FR4 Reinforced responses
PREE Total responses Reversed PREE Total responses / reinforcement ratio
PREE: Alternative analyses Nevin, 1988: Behavioral momentum • ”RPREE” is the rule – the response is stronger following CRF • in free-operant responding (but not in discrete-trial experiments) • following extended training • Extinction performance • Traditional measure: Number of responses • Nevin: Slope of the extinction curve
SHORT LONG Nevin, 1988 Absolute number of responses PREE RPREE Relative to initial ext response level
PREE vs. RPREE – important variables • Dependent measure • No. of responses vs. relative change • Type of situations • Free operant vs. discrete trial • Complexity of situation • One vs. more schedules (e.g., multiple schedule) • Design • Between groups vs. within subjects
PREE: My interests • Interaction PREE & Reversed PREE • Cognition (verbalization) related to behavioral PREE
The experimental situation ”Computer responses” presented Left, right Subject responses recorded Left, right
The experimental situation Task • Complete a four-response chain of responses started by the computer • E.g.: Computer: L R Subject: R L • Instructed task: Identify and apply the functional rule(s) • ”Obtain as many correct answers as you can.” • Rules (depending on experiment) • ”Repeat computer sequence” • ”Reverse computer sequence” • Feedback (visual, autitory) for correct answer; nothing happens if answer is incorrect
The experimental situation Manipulations (between groups and/or within groups) Rule Reverse (typically used) Repeat Contingency CRF (100%) PRF (20-60%)
The experimental situation • Reward rate manipulated • Between groups • Within subjects (multiple schedule) • Discrete trial situation; fixed number of trials • 180 acquisition trials • 40 extinction trials
Conventinal PREE; operant responding; students; Svartdal, 2003, Exp. 4
Reversed & conventional PREE; operant responding; students; Svartdal, 2000 Reversed PREE • Purpose: Explore the relationship between PREE and RPREE • PREE vs. RPREE: Contradiction or compatible effects? • Method • Independent groups: PRF and CRF • Within: CRF and PRF
Svartdal, 2000 ctd. • Multiple schedule, alternating • Group 40/40 • Half trials (signalled): 40% • Half trials (signalled): 40% • Group 80/80 • Half trials (signalled): 80% • Half trials (signalled): 80% • Group 80/40 • Half trials (signalled): 80% • Half trials (signalled): 40% PRF ”CRF” ”CRF”+ PRF
* No. of responses: RPREE * Relative change: No difference 80% PREE 40%
Svartdal, 2000 ctd. • Relationship between schedule components • Simplest assumption: Modulation between component schedules: • 60% + context = 60% reference • 60% + context = 100% reduced persistence • 60% + context = 20% increaced persistence
Performance of a 60% schedule depending on other schedule = 100%, 60%, or 20% Svartdal, 2000
Svartdal, F. (2000). Persistence during extinction: Conventional and Reversed PREE under multiple schedules.Learning and Motivation, 31, 21-40.
Cognition in PREE • Currently: Strong cognitive arguments to interpret conditioning in terms of cognition • Classical conditioning: Lovibond & Shanks, 2002 • Operant conditioning: Shanks & St John, 1994 • Implicit learning doubted: Shanks, 2005 • Extinction: Lovibond, 2004 • Basic argument: CONTINGENCY CONSCIOUS APPREHENSION BEHAVIORAL CHANGE CONTINGENCY CONSCIOUS APPREHENSION NO BEHAVIORAL CHANGE • Large number of studies supporting this assumption
Cognition in PREE • So, since the behvioral PREE is very robust, a ”cognitive PREE” must be easy to measure • Basic prosedure: • Behavioral acquisition under 100% vs. 60% reinforcer rate • Measurement of verbalized PREE
Cognition in PREE Prediction of persistence: ”How likely is it that you will continue responding if reward no longer appears?” Several experiments have demonstrated no sensitivity to learning history in predictions
3 extinction trials; immediate behavioral sensitivity No difference in predictions Svartdal & Silvera, in prep.
Cognition in PREE Retrospective judgments: ”How many responses did you emit after reward no longer appeared?” Subjects are very accurate in descrbing their own behavior, including their own extinction persistence
Cognition in PREE Svartdal, F. (2003). Extinction after partial reinforcement: Predicted vs. judged persistence.Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 44, 55-64.
Meta-cognitive PREE? • We all have long experience with various contingencies • Maybe a ”meta-cognition” evolves: • Uncertain outcomes Persist • Certain outcomes Quit