Participation in dyadic communication can be reinforced by the opportunity to speak in reply. Social analogs of delay of reinforcement and shifts in delay of reinforcement were investigated. In an experimental conversation modeled on discrete-trials instrumental conditioning, instrumental response speeds were faster when the opportunity to speak in reply was immediate rather than delayed (p <.005). Subjects shifted from short- to long-delay matched speeds with constant long-delay controls, while subjects shifted from long- to short-delay matched speeds with constant short-delay controls (N = 128).