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Sociology and social work

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The test of the formal and modern theories of matching

Article Abstract:

A study was conducted to test a formal or purely mathematical, theory of matching, and a modern account derived by McDowell (1986) that incorporates deviations from strict matching, bias and sensitivity. The results revealed that the formal theory of matching does not describe the data and that the modern theory might provide an accurate and coherent description of concurrent and single-alternative responding.

Models, Evaluation, Matching theory

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Feedback functions, optimization, and the relation of response rate to reinforcer rate

Article Abstract:

An experiment illustrating the benefit of arranging feedback functions to investigate assumptions about the variables that control schedule performance is described. The results suggest that the feedback function relating reinforcer rate to response rate imposed by a reinforcement schedule can be an important determinant of behavior.

United States, Science & research, Analysis, Reinforcement (Psychology), Mathematical optimization, Optimization theory

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Falsification of matching theory's account of single-alternative responding: Herrnstein's k varies with sucrose concentration

Article Abstract:

The authors discuss an experiment which tested the assumption that animal behavior in an environmental context should stay constant across changes in reinforcer properties. Rats pressing lever for various concentrations of sucrose in water under variable-interval scheduled were used in the experiment.

Laboratory animals, Animal behavior

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