>===== Original Message From Stephen Black <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> =====
>In my new textbook in behavior modification, Miltenberger (2001)
>discusses the fact that extinction after intermittent
>reinforcement is prolonged compared with extinction after crf. He
>cites Neisworth et al (1985) that it might be better to first
>switch to crf before beginning extinction, which would then make
>extinction more rapid.
Stephen -
I'm not an expert in learning, but I think Domjan (1998) has answered the
question for you. In his text he states that Jenkins (1962) and Theios (1962)
independently tested the effects of CRF after partial reinforcement (PRF) on
time to extinguish a behavior. Here are the basics of the design:
Group 1: PRF -> CRF -> Extinction
Group 2: CRF -> CRF -> Extinction
Both Jenkins and Theios found that extinction (to criterion) took longer in
Group 1 (with early experience with PRF and recent experience with CRF) than
in Group 2 (with no PRF experience).
Kirsten
References:
Domjan, M. (1998). The principles of learning and behavior (4th ed.).
Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Jenkins, H. M. (1962). Resistance to extinction when partial reinforcement is
followed by regular reinforcement. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64,
441-450.
Theios, J. (1962). The partial reinforcement effect sustained through blocks
of continuous reinforcement. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64, 1-6.
Kirsten L. Rewey
Department of Psychology
St. Mary's University of Minnesota
700 Terrace Heights, Box 1464
Winona, Minnesota 55987
Office: (507) 457-6991
Fax: (507) 457-1633
