Publications [#288070] of John E. Staddon

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Papers Published

  1. Staddon, JER; Motheral, S, On matching and maximizing in operant choice experiments, Psychological Review, vol. 85 no. 5 (1978), pp. 436-444, American Psychological Association (APA) [Gateway.cgi], [doi] .
    (last updated on 2024/04/23)

    Abstract:
    Animals match relative response rate to relative reinforcement rate in 2-choice situations where each alternative provides reinforcement according to a VI schedule. It is shown that matching, and a model proposed for it by R. J. Herrnstein (1961), can both be derived from reinforcement maximization under a linear response constraint. Empirical results are consistent with the constraint assumption, but they fail to support an extension of the approach to choice situations in which one alternative dispenses reinforcement according to a ratio schedule. Neither matching nor maximizing may be a fundamental principle. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1978 American Psychological Association.