Stimulus Control of Pecking on a Response-Independent Feeding Schedule

Abstract

Stimulus-controlled key-pecking occurred in seven out of eight pigeons under a response-independent feeding procedure regardless of whether a pre-food key light terminated before feeding (trace conditioning) or with food presentation or removal. With a single key-light, peck rates varied inversely with stimulus duration (delay conditioning) and although most pecks occurred within 1 sec of light onset there were more long latency and offkey pecks as the delay interval increased. With two pre-feeding key-lights birds always pecked the first light and also pecked the second light both when it was redundant and when feeding was non-{Íljferential in its presence or absence. Results were interpreted in terms af conditions under which conditioned respondents interfere with discriminated operants.