Behavior may come under the control of time or number when such cues predict food availability, but time tends to exert stronger control than does number. We asked how the control of behavior is divided between time and number in a procedure where the likely location of a reinforcer reversed systematically at a particular point in a trial. In Phase 1, we asked whether pigeons would choose to time or count when both time and number of responses could be used to discriminate the occurrence of the reversal. Pigeons preferred to time, even when numbers of events were more reliable predictors of reinforcer availability. In the Phase 2, we asked whether control could be shifted from time to number when number was highly discriminable and time was a highly unreliable predictor of the reversal. In this phase, pigeons continued to favor time over number. These findings suggest divided stimulus control between time and numbers depends both on recent experience with relative reinforcer rates and on factors relating to the animal's longer term history, such as training. This research adds to a growing body of work demonstrating strong control by elapsed time when elapsed time is not the most reliable predictor of reinforcer availability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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计时还是计数？通过固定时间或响应次数的应急冲销控制。

当此类提示预测食物的供应量时，行为可能受时间或数字的控制，但时间往往比数字具有更强的控制力。我们问到，在试验中的某个特定点上，补强者的可能位置会系统地反转的过程中，行为控制如何在时间和次数之间进行划分。在第1阶段，我们询问鸽子是选择计时还是计数，何时可以使用时间和响应数来区分反转的发生。鸽子更喜欢时间，即使事件数是补强剂可用性的更可靠预测指标。在第2阶段中，我们问到当数字可高度区分并且时间是逆转的高度不可靠预测因素时，是否可以将控制权从时间转换为数字。在这个阶段，鸽子继续偏爱时间而不是数量。这些发现表明，时间和数量之间的刺激控制划分取决于既有相对增强剂使用率的最新经验，也取决于与动物的长期病史有关的因素，例如训练。这项研究增加了工作量，表明当经过时间不是增强剂可用性的最可靠预测指标时，可以通过经过时间来实现强有力的控制。（PsycINFO数据库记录（c）2019 APA，保留所有权利）。