A hierarchical response-unit analysis of resistance to extinction following fixed-number and fixed-consecutive-number reinforcement

Exp I (24 male Holtzman rats) measured tray approaches in extinction as a function of acquisition response requirement after training on fixed-number (FN) schedules. The predicted independence of unit length and number was observed following discrete-trials training. After free-operant training, total units to extinction increased with FN requirement. A hierarchical response-unit hypothesis argues that omission of reward following …