Freedom and knowledge: an experimental analysis of preference in pigeons.

Researchers placed pigeons in a chamber with two keys.

Pecking either key started a chain that always ended with the same amount of grain.

One key, however, lit up colored lights that told the bird exactly when food was coming.

The other key gave no such hints.

Birds could switch keys at any time.

The team then counted which key the pigeons preferred even though the food payoff was identical.

The pigeons strongly favored the key that gave news about upcoming food.

They worked more for the option that provided information, not more grain.

Choice itself acted like extra reinforcement.

van Timmeren et al. (2016) later showed the same rule works for kids.

Children with autism learned new skills faster when they could pick their reinforcer during teaching.

All three children also said they liked having choices, echoing the pigeon data.

Bains et al. (2025) pushed the idea into reading class.

Letting learners choose their book or even just the genre boosted enjoyment and willingness to read.

Together these studies stretch the 1975 lab result into everyday clinical and educational settings.

Ploog (2001) keeps the pigeon work but removes the information lights.

When only the amount of grain differed, birds still chose the richer side.

This tells us both information and primary reinforcement can guide choice; the 1975 paper simply isolated the information piece.

You now have a low-cost tool: offer choice before or during instruction.

Let a client pick the sticker, the game, or the worksheet order.

The bird data say the act of choosing is itself reinforcing, and later human studies prove it speeds learning.

Use this to boost motivation without adding extra tangible rewards.