Behavioral contrast of time allocation.

Rogers-Warren et al. (1976) worked with pigeons on a two-part schedule.

Each part had its own color light and its own rate of food payoff.

When the payoff stopped in one part, the birds stood on a platform more in the still-paying part.

The lights told the birds exactly which part was active, so any jump in platform time could not be blamed on confusing signals.

Removing food from Part A made platform standing rise in Part B.

The color cues stayed the same, so the rise was caused only by the schedule change.

This confirms that behavioral contrast can happen even when the birds always know what is coming.

Hineline et al. (1969) saw the same rise, but they showed the jump depends on what happens next.

Their birds worked harder in Part A when Part B was about to go dry.

Rogers-Warren et al. (1976) kept the order fixed and still got contrast, proving the effect is not just about looking ahead.

McSweeney et al. (1993) later found the biggest jump when the dry part lasts 30-60 s, giving you a ready rule for your own schedules.

You now know that simply thinning reinforcement in one component can boost responding in another, even when stimuli are crystal clear.

Use this when you want to raise work rate without adding extra reinforcers.

Just cut payoff in one task for half a minute, watch the other task climb, and keep your signals clean.