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Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior logoLink to Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
. 1979 Mar;31(2):209–223. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1979.31-209

Is matching compatible with reinforcement maximization on concurrent variable interval variable ratio?1

R J Herrnstein, G M Heyman
PMCID: PMC1332823  PMID: 16812126

Abstract

Four pigeons on concurrent variable interval, variable ratio approximated the matching relationship with biases toward the variable interval when time spent responding was the measure of behavior and toward the variable ratio when frequency of pecking was the measure of behavior. The local rates of responding were consistently higher on the variable ratio, even when there was overall preference for the variable interval. Matching on concurrent variable interval, variable ratio was shown to be incompatible with maximization of total reinforcement, given the observed local rates of responding and rates of alternation between the schedules. Furthermore, it was shown that the subjects were losing reinforcements at a rate of about 60 per hour by matching rather than maximizing.

Keywords: concurrent VI VR, matching, maximization, reinforcement, pigeons

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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