The Rapid Establishment of Low-Rate Fixed Interval Responding by Humans in a Single Experimental Session

Subjects responding to receive monetary reinforcement on a fixed interval schedule were read instructions containing varying amounts of information regarding the schedule contingencies prior to their participation in the experiment. In addition, some subjects were exposed to an additional response cost contingency for early responding. The results indicate that reliable low-rate fixed interval responding can be rapidly generated in a single 45-minute experimental session when subjects are provided with explicit instructions together with the response cost contingency.