Free-choice preference under uncertainty.

Preferences in pigeons for free choice over forced choice under uncertain contingencies were compared with the one under certain contingencies in multiple concurrent-chain schedules of reinforcement. The uncertain condition examined the preference for two alternatives over one alternative when reinforcement probability at the end of the terminal link equalled 0.5, and with all keys in each terminal link lit green (two mixed fixed-interval extinction keys versus one mixed fixed-interval extinction key). Key and schedule arrangement in the certain condition was the same except that a peck on any terminal-link key after the FI interval always produced food. When naive pigeons were first exposed to uncertain contingencies, preference for two lit keys over one lit key was observed, and the preference was confirmed by sequential reversals of the terminal-link contingencies. However, no consistent preference was observed when uncertain condition followed the certain condition. Under certain contingencies, unlike the earlier experiments, very small and inconsistent preferences for free choice were demonstrated. A possible reason for the different preferences in the uncertain conditions was that pigeons may lessen their sensitivity to the circumstances with uncertainty by any history or carry-over effect of the prior contingency.