Persistence early and late in extinction as a function of number of continuous reinforcements preceding partial reinforcement training

In two experiments rats were given straight-alley training in the following sequence: continuous reward (CR), partial reward (PR), extinction (EXT). Independent groups differed only in the amount of CR training. In both experiments,. early-EXT performance was directly related to amount of CR training and late-EXT performance was inversely related to amount of CR training. These data were related to a possible specific s_F intensity hypothesis, an extension of frustration theory.     

Prior fixed ratio training and durable persistence in rats

Following barpress training with different terminal fixed ratios (FR), rats were given the interpolated experiences of runway acquisition and extinction (as part of another experiment) followed by 2 months of vacation. Then they were tested in FR 10 barpress reacquisition, FR 10 barpress extinction, consistently reinforced runway reacquisition, and a second runway extinction. In a start (response initiation) measure, resistance to extinction during the FR 10 extinction and in the second runway extinction was positively related to the terminal FR values of the initial barpress training, an indication of highly durable differential persistence effects attributable to the initial training to different terminal fixed ratios of barpress responding.     

Student and staff perceptions and “the pursuit of excellence” in british higher education

This article, using a variety of data from the Rowntree Research Project at the University of Lancaster, attempts to reconstruct student and staff perceptions of the teaching/learning reality of higher education, and in particular their perceptions of excellence. Ambiguities and confusions are noted in staff perceptions of excellence and important differences between staff and students in their perception of teaching/learning realities.It concludes by discussing implications for staff/student communication and for the admission of students to higher education.This article is a shortened and partly rewritten version of a paper of the same title delivered at the Third International Conference on Higher Education, University of Lancaster, September 1975.