Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) Lab

Mission Statement

The mission of the EAB laboratory is to understand behavior often characterized as problematic, including failures in self-control ("impulsivity"), relapse, and behavioral disruptions caused by environmental changes. Additionally, we aim to ideintify the principles that drive effective behavior-change strategies and seek ways to enhance their impact. Through rigorous, collaborative research, we train the next generation of researchers and practitioners by equipping students with the skills to these complex issues in highly controlled laboratory settings.

Funding. This research is funded by the Department of Psychological Science and various internal grants at Northern Michigan University.

Ongoing Projects (last updated October, 2025). Current IACUC protocols: (1) Investigating Self-Controlled Choice in Rats, (3) Evaluating Drug Effects on Self-Controlled Choice in Rats, and (3) Behavioral Effects of Dynamic Environments Involving Reinforcement and Extinction

Master's Thesis Projects from the EAB Lab

Yahrmarkt, C. S. (2023). Control of Pausing in Rich-Lean Transitions by Spatially Localized and Spatially Diffuse Stimuli (Master's thesis, Northern Michigan University).
Baranski, M. S. (2024). Effects of Diazepam, D-Amphetamine, and Morphine on Rats’ Choices Between Food Alone and Food with Delayed Shock (Master's thesis, Northern Michigan University).
McDonough, H. M. (2025). Effects of Response-Independent Food Delivery During Timeout on Timeout Punishment (Master's thesis, Northern Michigan University).

Publications from the EAB Lab

Toegel, F., Toegel, C., Rowlett, J. K., Zamarripa, C. A., Doyle, W. S., Woods, J. A., Freeman, K. B., & Huskinson, S. L. (2025). Using a rich-lean transition procedure to evaluate putative anti-anxiety medications. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 103657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpet.2025.103657

Toegel, F., Dumas, A. D., & Perone, M. (2025). Contributions of delay, duration, and intensity of shock on rats' choices involving conflicting‐valence consequences. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 123(3), 412-434. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70008

Toegel, F., Toegel, C., **Yahrmarkt, C., & Perone, M. (2023). Rich-lean transitions produced by stimuli associated with accurate and inaccurate responding by pigeons. Behavioural Processes. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104858

Toegel, C., Holtyn, A. F., Toegel, F., & Perone, M. (2022). The aversiveness of timeout from response‐dependent and response‐independent food deliveries as a function of delivery rate. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 117(2), 201-239 https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.742

Toegel, F. & Perone, M. (2022). Effects of advance notice on transition-related pausing in pigeons. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 117. 3-19. http://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.730

Toegel, F., Toegel, C., & Perone, M. (2021). Design and evaluation of a touchscreen apparatus for operant research with pigeons. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 116(2), 249-264. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.707

Whirtley, Cory, "Behavioral Functions of Stimuli Correlated with Transitions between Rich and Lean Schedules of Reinforcement" (2020). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7555. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7555

Toegel, Forrest James, "Effects of Delay and Signals on Choice between Delayed Food Alone and Immediate Food with Delayed Shock" (2018). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 3748. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/3748

Vonder Haar, C., Wampler, S.K., Bhatia, H.S., Ozga, J.E., Toegel, C., Lake, A.D., Iames, C.W., Cabral, C.E., Martens, K.M. (2022). Repeat closed-head injury in male rats impairs attention but causes heterogeneous outcomes in multiple measures of impulsivity and glial pathology. Frontiers In Behavioral Neuroscience, 16, 79. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.809249

Ozga-Hess, J. E., Whirtley, C., O’Hearn, C., Pechacek, K., & Vonder Haar, C. (2020). Unilateral Parietal Brain Injury Increases Risk-Taking on a Rat Gambling Task. Experimental Neurology, 327, 113217 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113217

Book Chapters

Perone, M. & Toegel, F. (2019). Better safe than sorry. In P. Soares, J. H. de Almedia, & C. Cançado (Eds.), Experimentos Clássicos em Análise do Comportamento (Vol 2). (pp. 272-285). Brasília: Instituto Walden4. ISBN: 978-85-65721-15-8. Also printed in Portuguese (pp. 106-118).

** = mentored student of the Toegel Laboratory

Conference Presentations from the EAB Lab

Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) Annual Convention

*McDonough, H., Toegel, F., & Toegel, C. (May 2025). Effects of response-independent food delivery during timeout on timeout punishment [Symposium]. 51st Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Washington, DC.
*McDonough, H., *Brown, E., Toegel, C., & Toegel, F. (2025, May 22-26). Effects of timeout production schedules on behavior maintained by independent concurrent schedules of reinforcement. [Poster presentation]. 51st Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Washington DC, United States.
*Wealton, J., Toegel, F., *Baranski, M., *Bault, H., *Bailey, A. D.,* Dyer, H., & Toegel, C. (2025, May 22-26). A preliminary assessment comparing effects of delayed reinforcing and aversive consequences on intertemporal choice. [Poster presentation]. 51st Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Washington DC, United States.
*Baranski, M., Toegel, C., & Toegel, F. (2024, May 24-27). Effects of diazepam, d-amphetamine, and morphine on choice between food and food with delayed shock. In *M. Baranski (chair), Recent Evaluations of Choice Procedures Involving Reinforcing and Aversive Consequences [Symposium]. Annual Convention of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, Philadelphia, PA.
Toegel, C., *Bartley, *T., Hintze, K., & Toegel, F. (2024, May 24-27). Behavioral effects of adding sequential stimuli to variable ratio schedules of reinforcement [Poster presentation]. Annual Convention of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, Philadelphia, PA.
*Yahrmarkt, C., Toegel, F., & Toegel, C. (2023, May 27-29). Control of pausing in rich-lean transitions by spatially localized and spatially diffuse stimuli. In **C. Yahrmarkt (chair), Investigations of Schedule-Induced Behavior: Pausing, Escape, and Polydipsia [Symposium]. Annual Convention of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, Denver, CO.
Toegel, F., Toegel, C., Rowlett, J.K., Zamarripa, & C.A., Huskinson, S. L. (2023, May 27-29). Using rich-lean transition procedures as an assay for putative anti-anxiety medications. In *C. Yahrmarkt (chair), Investigations of Schedule-Induced Behavior: Pausing, Escape, and Polydipsia [Symposium]. Annual Convention of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, Denver, CO.
Toegel, F., Toegel, C., Rowlett, J.K., Zamarripa, & C.A., Huskinson, S. L. (2022, May 28-30). Feasibility of extended pausing during rich-to-lean transitions in rhesus monkeys as an assay for putative anti-anxiety medications. In F. Toegel, Recent Basic and Applied Research on Rich-Lean Transitions [Symposium]. Annual Convention of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, Boston, MA.
Toegel, F., Toegel, C., *Yahrmarkt, C., & Perone (2022, May 28-30) Pausing under rich and lean fixed-ratio schedules: Where and when? In F. Toegel, Recent Basic and Applied Research on Rich-Lean Transitions [Symposium]. Annual Convention of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, Boston, MA.

Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan (BAAM)

Brown, E., McDonough, H., Toegel, C., & Toegel, F. (2025, February 20-21). Effects of timeout production schedule on behavior maintained by concurrent schedules of reinforcement [Poster Presentation]. Annual Convention of the Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan, Ypsilanti, MI.
McDonough, H., Toegel, F., & Toegel, C. (2025, February 20-21). Effects of response-independent food delivery during timeout on timeout punishment [Poster Presentation]. Annual Convention of the Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan, Ypsilanti, MI.

Upper Peninsula Association for Behavior Analysis (UPABA)

Toegel, F. (November 2025). The utility of basic research on intertemporal choice in the treatment of substance use disorders. [Invited Presentation]. Upper Peninsula Association for Behavior Analysis Annual Conference, Marquette, MI, United States.
*McDonough, H., Toegel, F., & Toegel, C. (2024, November 7-8). Effects of response-independent food delivery during timeout on timeout punishment: Preliminary results [Poster presentation]. Upper Peninsula Association for Behavior Analysis, Marquette, MI, United States.
*Brown, E., *McDonough, H., Toegel, C., & Toegel, F. (2024, November 7-8). Effects of timeout production schedule on behavior maintained by concurrent schedules of reinforcement [Poster presentation]. Upper Peninsula Association for Behavior Analysis, Marquette, MI, United States.
*Wealton, J., Toegel, C., *Bartley, T., *Hintze, K., & Toegel, F. (2024, November 7-8). Evaluation of pausing on variable ratio schedules of reinforcement with added counters [Poster presentation]. Upper Peninsula Association for Behavior Analysis, Marquette, MI, United States.

American Psychological Association (APA) Convention

Toegel, F. (August 2025). Research to understand determinants of self-controlled choice and to promote healthy behavior change [Invited address]. American Psychological Association Convention, Denver, CO, United States.

Mid-American Association for Behavior Analysis (MABA)

*Yahrmarkt, C., Toegel, F., & Toegel, C., (2022, October 20-22). Control of pausing in rich-lean transitions by spatially localized and spatially diffuse stimuli [Poster presentation]. Annual Conference of the Mid-American Association for Behavior Analysis, St. Louis, MO.
*Yahrmarkt, C., Toegel, F., Toegel, C., & Perone, M. (2021, October 28-29). Rich-lean transitions produced by stimuli associated with accurate and inaccurate responding by pigeons [Poster presentation]. Annual Conference of the Mid-American Association for Behavior Analysis, Detroit, MI.

Upper Midwest Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience

Toegel, F., *Baranski, M., & Toegel, C. (October 25, 2025). Effects of diazepam, D-amphetamine, and morphine on choice between food with and without delayed shock. Fourth annual meeting for the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience, Stevens Point, WI.
*Wealton, J. Toegel, F., & Toegel, C. (2025, October 25). Promoting steady state behavior in a variable-delay procedure. [Poster presentation]. Fourth annual meeting of the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience, Stevens Point, WI, United States.

Wisconsin Association of Behavior Analysis (WisABA)

*Bailey, A.D., *Dyer, H., *Baranski, M., *Bault, H., Toegel, C., & Toegel, F. (2023, October 6-7). Animal models of self-control: Preliminary results [Poster presentation]. Wisconsin Association of Behavior Analysis Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI, United States.
*Bartley, T., Toegel, F., *Baranski, M., & Toegel, C. (2023, October 6-7). Why pause? Effects of signals on ratio schedules of reinforcement [Poster presentation]. Wisconsin Association of Behavior Analysis Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI, United States.

Southeastern Association for Behavior Analysis (SEABA)

*McDonough, H., Toegel, C., & Toegel, F. (October 30-November 1, 2025). Effects of response-independent food delivery during timeout on timeout punishment. [Poster presentation]. 41st Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association for Behavior Analysis, Richmond, VI, United States.

National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)

*Brown, E., *McDonough, H., Toegel, C., & Toegel, F. (2025, April 7-9). Effects of timeout production schedule on behavior maintained by concurrent schedules of reinforcement [Poster presentation]. National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Washington, DC, United States.

Other

Toegel, C. (2024, March). Activity transitions in basic and applied research [Invited colloquium presentation]. Department of Psychology Colloquium Series, Salve Regina, Providence, RI, United States.
Toegel, F. (April 2025). Basic and applied research on intertemporal choice involving conflicting-valence consequences [Invited colloquium presentation]. Department of Psychological Science Colloquium Series, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI.
Toegel, F. (May 2023). Insights into self-control and drug addiction recovery. Presentation at Science on Tap, Ore Dock Brewing Co., Marquette, MI.

* = mentored student of the Toegel Laboratory

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