Choice in Concurrent Schedules and a Quantitative Formulation of the Law of Effect*

Abstract

Relative performance and reinforcement measures obtained from concurrent schedules show just such an orderly relation. This chapter is concerned with an evaluation of Herrnstein’s equations as a quantification of the law of effect. The dominant patterns of responding on equal concurrent VI schedules with a changeover delay (COD) shows runs of responses of roughly COD duration on one schedule alternating with runs of responses of similar duration on the other schedule. In most of the studies, local response rates were found to be the same for each schedule, and response matching resulted from the matching of relative time distribution to relative reinforcement frequency. The role of the minimum COD values required for matching in concurrent schedules has still to be clarified. The data on reinforcement magnitude are equivocal, both matching and undermatching being reported in studies of concurrent schedules. The pattern of responding on concurrent schedules can also be altered by reinforcing only particular bands of interresponse times.

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