Belke and Pierce (2015) failed to replicate previously observed behavioral contrast effects with rats when they used wheel running and lever pressing as available responses. What explanation did they provide for this?
A) Automatic reinforcement for lever pressing interfered with contrast
B) Automatic reinforcement for wheel running interfered with contrast
C) Behavioral contrast only occurs when the responses have the same topography
D) Behavioral contrast only occurs when the reinforcers are the same

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Belke and Pierce (2015) suggested that automatic reinforcement for wheel running interfered with the observation of behavioral contrast effects. This means that the inherent satisfaction or reinforcement rats received from running on the wheel itself, regardless of any external rewards, may have disrupted the expected contrast effects between the two behaviors (wheel running and lever pressing).

Belke and Pierce (2015) Failed to Replicate Previously Observed Behavioral