Notes on reinforcement timing

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It is possible to cause reinforcement conflicts in this task. For example,

 

You can respond on two schedules which share a reinforcement device, such that both schedules want to use the reinforcement device simultaneously.
You can respond more rapidly than your reinforcement device allows (e.g. if you have FR1 for a 7-s pump infusion with no timeout, you can respond again while the pump is still pumping from your first response).

 

Exactly the same is true if your reinforcement is delayed from the response that caused it (though it's much harder to perceive what's going on).

 

SimpleSchedules ignores requests for reinforcement for devices that are busy. It records in the event log (text-based and ODBC) whether a scheduled reinforcement was actually given.

 

What happens when you request a timeout on a delayed-reinforcement schedule? Should the timeout occur at the time of the response, or at the time of the reinforcement? Well, a timeout is to stop you responding, so it should occur at the time you respond. This is what SimpleSchedules does.

 

What happens when your schedule wants to reinforce, and to give you a timeout, but your reinforcement device is busy? SimpleSchedules will not reinforce (because the device is busy reinforcing you anyway) but it will implement your timeout.