Conditioned reinforcement and information theory reconsidered

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Timothy A Shahan, Paul Cunningham

Abstract

The idea that stimuli might function as conditioned reinforcers because of the information they convey about primary reinforcers has a long history in the study of learning. However, formal application of information theory to conditioned reinforcement has been largely abandoned in modern theorizing because of its failures with respect to observing behavior. In this paper we show how recent advances in the application of information theory to Pavlovian conditioning offer a novel approach to conditioned reinforcement. The critical feature of this approach is that calculations of information are based on reductions of uncertainty about expected time to primary reinforcement signaled by a conditioned reinforcer. Using this approach, we show that previous failures of information theory with observing behavior can be remedied, and that the resulting framework produces predictions similar to Delay Reduction Theory in both observing-response and concurrent-chains procedures. We suggest that the similarity of these predictions might offer an analytically grounded reason for why Delay Reduction Theory has been a successful theory of conditioned reinforcement. Finally, we suggest that the approach provides a formal basis for the assertio...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 20, 2016·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·Margaret A McDevittElliot A Ludvig
May 20, 2015·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·Peter R Killeen
Oct 25, 2016·Physiology & Behavior·Heidi C Meyer, David J Bucci
Jun 22, 2018·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·Vikki J BlandChristopher A Podlesnik
Jun 22, 2018·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·Carlos R Picanço, François Tonneau
Jan 24, 2018·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Sharon Morein-ZamirTrevor W Robbins
Aug 14, 2019·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·Randolph C Grace, Anthony P McLean
Nov 5, 2019·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·Jeffrey M PisklakMarcia L Spetch
Jun 3, 2017·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·Stephanie Gomes-NgSarah Cowie
Jun 19, 2017·The Behavior Analyst·Timothy A Shahan
Dec 20, 2019·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·C R Gallistel, E B Papachristos
Nov 10, 2017·Journal of Neurophysiology·Cécile Vullings, Laurent Madelain
Jul 10, 2020·Animal Cognition·C Renee RendaGregory J Madden
Jan 1, 2021·Perspectives on Behavior Science·Timothy L Edwards, Alan Poling

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