After a long and dreary winter of COVID isolation, I was excited and happy to participate in the iconic but albeit online Tim Horton’s Roll Up to Win contest. (Tim Horton’s is “home of Canada’s favourite coffee.”) Of course to minimize public health risks, the traditional Roll Up the Rim to Win on the paper cups was replaced with just the online Roll Up to Win contest. As I make my customary stop at Tim Horton’s during my morning walk before work, I made a curious and peculiar observation while picking up my medium half-caf with two shots of cream. Excited as I was to scan my Tim’s bar code before ordering inside at the service counter, I watched a particularly long and steadfast lineup of vehicles going through the Tim’s drive-through, ordering then receiving their morning caffeine fix and maybe breakfast. Like lab rats in BF Skinner’s box, I observed people methodically scanning their reward cards with their cell phones, paying a paltry piece of silver equal to about a toonie, then receiving their reward of fresh-brewed coffee and a free play on the Tim Horton’s app. As I received my coffee, I came to the insightful conclusion that Tim Horton’s Roll Up to Win contest is a classic example of the psychological principle of operant conditioning.

I took a first-year introductory psychology course at the University of British Columbia in the mid-1980s. Among the concepts we were introduced to was a learned and modified behavior in animals and humans called operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is a fancy term that basically describes a modifiable behavior that is changed by associating it with a positive or sometimes a negative reinforcement. BF Skinner was an American psychologist who pioneered research into the burgeoning field of modifiable behavior. In his classic experiment, he placed laboratory rats in a cage, colloquially known as Skinner box. He had made a lever in the box that dispensed a morsel of food when pressed. He taught the rats that in order to receive the treat they would have to press the lever. He conditioned their behaviors and made the rats learn that by pressing the lever they would be rewarded. This is an example of a behavior that is modified by positive reinforcement. Pressing the lever more would result in more morsels of food being dispensed. Conversely, behavior can also be modified with negative reinforcement with a negative outcome for a certain behavior. I surmised that I was something akin to a lab rat in Skinner box receiving my coffee and Tim’s roll.

Behavior psychology is a somewhat complex yet archetypically simple and adaptable evolutionary concept in which an animal or person acts in response to a particular situation or stimulus. I must confess that I have gone to Tim Horton’s quite a few more times than normal when they opened up the Roll Up to Win contest. I normally consider myself level-headed and perhaps somewhat addictive in personality. However, I like to maintain that I am in control of my behavior no matter what the circumstance. I was happy and excited to participate in the contest. After all I would receive a coffee that I would normally pay for with no questions asked if that is what I wanted. Additionally, I would receive a free lottery ticket and a chance to win one of many prizes, including a Volkswagen Toas vehicle, weekend getaways at a Fairmount resort in Canada, Samsung smartphones, flat screen TVs, and many other prizes. It seemed like a win-win situation hands down. Besides I rationalized that I was helping the economy during these troubling times.

Like a rat in Skinner’s box, I modified behavior to increase my once daily purchase at a local Tim Horton’s restaurant. I scanned my Tim’s app at the time of purchase over my cell phone. I received my coffee that I enjoyed anyways and got the chance of rolling or tapping for a prize. I liked the colorful cups that were adorned with all sorts of teasers about the prizes to be won. I excitedly opened the Tim’s app and pressed the Roll Up to Win icon on my cell phone and waited for the result. At this time I probably got a hit of the pleasurable neurotransmitter dopamine in the amygdala or other part of the limbic system of my brain. The reward immediately popped up. Of course after all, they said every roll or tap is a winner. And like they said, it seemed like I won every time. From more commonly a paltry five Tim’s points to occasionally a free coffee or donut, I did win. So far I also won a twenty dollar discount at an online store called Skull Candy and a six-month free subscription to SportsNet Now. However, as the contest rolls on I seem to be a little less excited. I still like to purchase my one daily medium-sized coffee. I limit my purchases and like to think I am in control of my behavior.

As the Roll Up to Win contest comes to end shortly, I would like to make conclusions from my observations. To state again, the contest is a classic example of the effect of operant conditioning on behavior. Buying a coffee from this coffee company is implicitly associated with the positive reinforcement of also having a chance to win a prize. If I am any indicator, it is probably an advertising juggernaut for the company. I am not suggesting that the practice is right or wrong, moral or immoral, or promoting addictive gambling behavior. It seems to be innocent enough, and I still like to think I am control of my responses. I make a conscious choice to limit my behavior in cost and frequency. After all I am supporting the economy, getting a beverage that I paid for, and engaging in a little fun lottery of sorts.

After taking a break to ponder on my observations, I realize I am less enamored with the contest, and now it is time to move on. I like to think I am in the driver’s seat and in control of my response. I believe I make my choices no matter whether operant conditioning is involved. After all I am not a laboratory rat. I am almost done with the Tim’s Roll Up to Win contest. Besides the contest ends in early April 2021. I think it is almost time to move on. Besides I think I will start going to McDonald’s and get my morning coffee there for a while. They have stickers there that I can collect, and when I get seven I am eligible for a free coffee.