Effects of Adding a Second Reinforcement Alternative: Implications for Herrnstein's Interpretation of "r[subscript e]"

Autor/inn/en	Soto, Paul L.; McDowell, Jack J.; Dallery, Jesse
Titel	Effects of Adding a Second Reinforcement Alternative: Implications for Herrnstein's Interpretation of "r[subscript e]"
Quelle	In: Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 84 (2005) 2, S.185-225 (41 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0022-5002
Schlagwörter	Reinforcement; Intervals; Animals; Experiments; Bias; Disadvantaged Environment; Prediction; Stimuli; Stimulation + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Positive Verstärkung; Animal; Tier; Tiere; Erprobung; Vorhersage; Anreizsystem
Abstract	Herrnstein's hyperbola describes the relation between response rate and reinforcer rate on variable-interval (VI) schedules. According to Herrnstein's (1970) interpretation, the parameter "r[subscript e]"represents the reinforcer rate extraneous to the alternative to which the equation is fitted (the target alternative). The hyperbola is based on an assumption that extraneous reinforcer rate remains constant with changes in reinforcer rate on the target alternative (the constant-"r[subscript e]" assumption) and that matching with no bias and perfect sensitivity occurs between response and reinforcer ratios. In the present experiment, 12 rats pressed levers for food on a series of 10 VI schedules arranged on the target alternative. Across conditions, six VI values and extinction were arranged on a second alternative. Reinforcer rate on the second alternative, "r[subscript 2]", negatively covaried with reinforcer rate on the target alternative for five of the six VI values on the second alternative, and significant degrees of bias and undermatching occurred in response ratios. Given covariation of reinforcer rate on the second and target alternatives, the constant-"r[subscript e]" assumption can be maintained only by assuming that reinforcer rate from unmeasured background sources, "r[subscript b]", covaries with reinforcer rate on the second alternative such that their sum, "r[subscript e]", remains constant. In a single-schedule arrangement, however, "r[subscript e]" equals "r[subscript b]" and thus "r[subscript b]" is assumed to remain constant, forcing a conceptual inconsistency between single- and concurrent-schedule arrangements. Furthermore, although an alternative formulation of the hyperbola can account for variations in bias and sensitivity, the modified equation also is based on the constant-"r[subscript e]" assumption and therefore suffers from the same logical problem as the hyperbola when reinforcer rate on the second alternative covaries with reinforcer rate on the target alternative. (Contains 7 tables and 6 figures.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Available from: Indiana University Department of Psychology. Bloomington, IN 47405. Tel: 812-334-0395; Fax: 812-855-4691; e-mail: jeab@indiana.edu; Web site: http://seab.envmed.rochester.edu/jeab/index.html
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10