Most resurgence research has measured the frequency and order of responding during a resurgence test. The current study investigated whether differences in stimulus control during acquisition influenced the frequency and order of responding during a resurgence test. Using the Portable Operant Research and Teaching Lab (PORTL), the experimenter trained undergraduate students to emit four behaviors with a toy car. Three behaviors (push, spin, shake) were taught while the car was upright. Push was trained while the car was facing west, spin while the car was facing south, and shake while the car was facing north. One behavior (flip) was trained while the car was upside down and facing east. After acquisition, all behaviors were placed on extinction for one minute with the car beginning in an upright position. During the resurgence test, the participants mainly engaged in behavior that corresponded with the stimulus control established during acquisition. For example, if the car was facing west, more pushing behaviors were observed. Most notably, the flip response occurred least when the car was upright and was emitted last whether it was trained first or second. These findings suggest that the stimulus control present during resurgence influenced the frequency and order of responding.

The effect of economic condition on the relation between responding and overall rate of reinforcement has been an area of recent interest in operant research. The present research was conducted to determine whether the manipulation of the economic condition, by the systematic manipulation of the provision of substitute food, has an effect on this relation and whether open- and closed-economies represent two opposing alternatives or two parametric extremes along- a continuum. The results of two experiments conducted with pigeons using variable-interval and fixed-ratio schedules of reinforcement suggest that the manipulation of economic condition has a controlling effect on the relation between responding and overall rate of reinforcement, that open- and closed- economies are likely to represent points along- a continuum rather than all-or-none conditions, and that the differences in the response-to- reinforcement relation between open- and closed-economies are likely due to an interaction of incentive and regulatory effects. Additionally, specific methodological considerations for further research in this area are suggested.