Work

CONFIRMATION OF LINEAR SYSTEM THEORY PREDICTION: CHANGES IN HERRNSTEIN'S k AS A FUNCTION OF CHANGES IN REINFORCER MAGNITUDE

Year: 1984

Type: article

Abstract: Eight human subjects pressed a lever on a range of variable-interval schedules for 0.25 cent to 35.0 cent per reinforcement. Herrnstein's hyperbola described seven of the eight subjects' response-rate data well. For all subjects, the y-asymptote of the hyperbola increased with increasing reinforcer magnitude and its reciprocal was a linear function of the reciprocal of reinforcer magnitude. These results confirm predictions made by linear system theory; they contradict formal properties of Herrnstein's account and of six other mathematical accounts of single-alternative responding.

Source: Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

DOI: 10.1901/jeab.1984.41-183

Authors: J. J. McDowell, Helena M. Wood

Institution: Emory University

Language: English

Topic: Behavioral and Psychological Studies

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Emory University

OpenAlex ID: W2013790625

FWCI: 6.326

Cites: 24

Cited by: 102

Related to: 10