In an experiment on the effects of reinforcement on running speed, when a large reward that the rats had been receiving was changed to a medium reward, their performance declined to below a group that always received a medium reward. This is called:
A) negative contrast
B) positive contrast
C) diminishing reward effect
D) quality of reward effect

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This situation matches the definition of negative contrast, which is the decrease in response to a usually high reward when the reward is reduced.

In an Experiment on the Effects of Reinforcement on Running