CHOICE IN A “SELF‐CONTROL” PARADIGM: EFFECTS OF A FADING PROCEDURE

TLDR

The study employed a fading procedure in which pigeons initially chose between a 2‑second immediate grain reward and a 6‑second delayed grain reward, then the delay of the small reward was gradually reduced to zero over more than 11,000 trials. Pigeons exposed to the fading procedure chose the large delayed reward significantly more often than controls, with two subjects preferring it even after key contingencies were reversed, indicating that fading increases self‑control.

Abstract

Pigeons chose between an immediate 2‐second reinforcer (access to grain) and a 6‐second reinforcer delayed 6 seconds. The four pigeons in the control group were exposed to this condition initially. The four experimental subjects first received a condition where both reinforcers were delayed 6 seconds. The small reinforcer delay was then gradually reduced to zero over more than 11,000 trials. Control subjects almost never chose the large delayed reinforcer. Experimental subjects chose the large delayed reinforcer significantly more often. Two experimental subjects showed preference for the large reinforcer even when the consequences for pecking the two keys were switched. The results indicate that fading procedures can lead to increased “self‐control” in pigeons in a choice between a large delayed reinforcer and a small immediate reinforcer.