Interaction between magnitude and probability of reinforcement on autoshaped choice
Castiello S., Burgos JE., Buriticá J., Dos Santos CV., Alcalá JE.
© 2020, Sociedad Mexicana de Analisis de la Conducta. All rights reserved. This parametric study assessed the effects of the magnitude and probability of reinforcement in autoshaped choice with artificial neural networks and pigeons. Experiment 1 was a simulation with an artificial neural network model where networks were trained in different magnitudes and probabilities of Pavlovian reinforcement of two cues trained separately and independently, and afterwards presented concurrently in extinction choice tests without any learning. Results showed that the networks preferred a certain option with a small reward than another followed 20% and 50% with a big reward, but preferred the big reward option when it was followed 80 % of trials. Experiment 2 was a test of these predictions with pigeons under analogous conditions. The results were generally consistent with those of Experiment 1, except that, unlike the networks, pigeons showed indifference when the cue that predicted a big reward did it 80% of trials. We discuss the interaction observed between contingencies and raise the possibility that behavioral contrast can arise under Pavlovian contingencies.