The effect of reinforcement on preferences for simple classification concepts

Reinforcement was delivered followingchanges in color or in shape of geometric stimuli. It was found that this training produced differences in strength of preferences for classification bases of shape (when shape changes were reinforced) or of color (when color changes were reinforced) in a subsequent categorization task. There was, however, no evidence that conditioning of peripheral orienting responses to changes in shape or color occurred through reinforcement during training. It appeared that while reinforcement delivered in relation to systematic stimulus changes (and assumed orienting responses) did influence the formation of shape or color preferences, its role did not depend on maintenance or enhancement of the peripheral orienting response.