Any stimulus present when an operant is reinforced acquires control in the sense that the rate will be higher when it is present. Such a stimulus does not act as a goad; it does not elicit the response in the sense of forcing it to occur. It is simply an essential aspect of the occasion upon which a response is made and reinforced. The difference is made clear by calling it a discriminative stimulus... -- Skinner, B. F. (1969).Contingencies of Reinforcement: A Theoretical Analysis, 7.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:00:00 +0000