Consider an experiment in which a pigeon is placed in a Skinner box with a button on the wall. The cage contains a small green l
ight that is turned on and off intermittently throughout the day. When the pigeon pecks the button when the green light is on, the behavior is reinforced with food. When it pecks the button when the green light is off, the behavior is not reinforced. The pigeon soon learns that button pecking will be rewarded only when the green light is on. In this scenario, the green light is a(n)__________.
In this scenario, the green light is a(n) <u><em>signal</em></u>.
Explanation:
In the above scenario, with time, the pigeon has learnt that he will be rewarded only when the green light is on. Such a condition is known as learned behaviour. In the future, the pigeon will only peck the button when the green light is on because he will know that he will be rewarded for pecking the button only when the green light is on. Hence, the green light is the signal for the pigeon to start pecking the button.
