IBN-9407206 Edmund Fantino This is a study of choice behavior and conditioned reinforcement. Dr. Fantino has developed a very well-known theory, called the Delay Reduction Theory, that will be refined and tested in several experiments. According to the theory, the effectiveness of a particular stimulus as a conditioned reinforcer may be predicted most accurately by calculating the reduction in the duration of time between the onset of the preceding stimulus and the primary reinforcement. This theory has wide application in several important areas, including foraging behavior, memory and self- control. The experiments to be done will refine the theory and extend it to new areas. For example, Dr. Fantino will investigate whether the theory can be extended to situations where the reward is uncertain or risky. The results of these experiments are relevant to several issues in learning and motivation.
