5-13 Flashcards
The Matching Law
in a two-choice situation, the percentage of responses directed toward one alternative will equal the percentage of reinforcers delivered by that alternative
in a two-choice situation, the percentage of responses directed toward one alternative will equal the percentage of reinforcers delivered by that alternative
The Matching Law
Matching Law equation
Ra / (Ra + Rb) = Ba / (Ba + Bb)
R: relative reinforcement rate
B: relative response rate
Ra / (Ra + Rb) = Ba / (Ba + Bb)
Matching Law equation
R: relative reinforcement rate
B: relative response rate
changeover delay
a certain amount of time must pass after a subject switches from one response to another before any reinforcer can be delivered
a certain amount of time must pass after a subject switches from one response to another before any reinforcer can be delivered
changeover delay
deviations from matching: Undermatching
response percentages are consistently less extreme than reinforcement percentages in a choice situation
less intense slope on graph
response percentages are consistently less extreme than reinforcement percentages in a choice situation
less intense slope on graph
deviations from matching: Undermatching
deviations from matching: Overmatching
response percentages are consistently more extreme than reinforcement percentages in a choice situation
more intense slope on graph
response percentages are consistently more extreme than reinforcement percentages in a choice situation
more intense slope on graph
deviations from matching: Overmatching
deviations from matching: Bias
a subject consistently allocates more time or responding to one alternative than predicted by the matching equation
parallel line on graph
a subject consistently allocates more time or responding to one alternative than predicted by the matching equation
parallel line on graph
deviations from matching: Bias
quality of reinforcement
Ba / (Ba + Bb) = Qa / (Qa + Qb)
B: relative response rate
Q: quality
Ba / (Ba + Bb) = Qa / (Qa + Qb)
B: relative reinforcement rate
Q: quality
quality of reinforcement
amount of reinforcement
Ba / (Ba + Bb) = Aa / (Aa + Ab)
B: relative response rate
A: amount (3 food pellets, etc)
Ba / (Ba + Bb) = Aa / (Aa + Ab)
B: relative reinforcement rate
A: amount (3 food pellets, etc)
amount of reinforcement
single schedules
a way to use the matching law to make predictions about behavior on single reinforcement schedules
T1 / (T1 + Te) = R1 / (R1 + Re)
T: time
e: other behaviors besides the pecking that are reinforcing
a way to use the matching law to make predictions about behavior on single reinforcement schedules
T1 / (T1 + Te) = R1 / (R1 + Re)
T: time
e: other behaviors besides the pecking that are reinforcing
single schedules
Theories of Choice Behavior: Matching Theory
animals exhibit matching behavior because they are built to do so.
in any choice situation, an animal might measure the value of the reinforcement it receives from each alternative, and the animal then might distribute its behavior in proportion to the values of the various alternatives
animals exhibit matching behavior because they are built to do so.
in any choice situation, an animal might measure the value of the reinforcement it receives from each alternative, and the animal then might distribute its behavior in proportion to the values of the various alternatives
Theories of Choice Behavior: Matching Theory
Theories of Choice Behavior: Melioration Theory
“make better”
animals will invest increasing amounts of time and/or effort into whichever alternative is better
“make better”
animals will invest increasing amounts of time and/or effort into whichever alternative is better
Theories of Choice Behavior: Melioration Theory
Theories of Choice Behavior: Optimization Theory
an animal will try different ways of distributing its behaviors (e.g. 50% left, 80% left, 90% left), and the animal will eventually settle on the response distribution that maximizes the overall rate of reinforcement
an animal will try different ways of distributing its behaviors (e.g. 50% left, 80% left, 90% left), and the animal will eventually settle on the response distribution that maximizes the overall rate of reinforcement
Theories of Choice Behavior: Optimization Theory
self-control choices
one involving a choice between a small, proximal reinforcer and a larger but more distant reinforcer
e.g. smaller sooner extra hour of sleep, larger later better grade in class
one involving a choice between a small, proximal reinforcer and a larger but more distant reinforcer
e.g. smaller sooner extra hour of sleep, larger later better grade in class
self-control choices
Ainklie-Rachlin Theory
the value of a reinforcer decreases as the delay between making a choice and receiving the reinforcer increases
the value of a reinforcer decreases as the delay between making a choice and receiving the reinforcer increases
Ainklie-Rachlin Theory
Delayed Gratification
forego a smaller, immediate reward to wait for a larger, later reward
forego a smaller, immediate reward to wait for a larger, later reward
Delayed Gratification
Strategies for improving self-control
precommitment: make a decision in advance that makes it difficult or impossible to reverse preference at a later time
give yourself deadlines
sef-reinforcement: make an additional, more immediate reinforcer contingent on the choice of the large, delayed reinforcer
make the value of the impulsive option lower by attaching some form of punishment to it
thinking about the larger later can forestall an impulsive action
risk taking
choose a smaller sooner over a larger later that would be better in the long run
choose a smaller sooner over a larger later that would be better in the long run
risk taking
tragedy of the commons
a play that is a metaphor for how the smaller sooner of using up resources is picked over the larger later of more rationing in order to have those resources later
e.g.the driver alone receives the benefits of convenience and comfort that come from driving one’s car. If the drier shoe to walk, the reduction in air pollution would be so slight as to be undetectable
a play that is a metaphor for how the smaller sooner of using up resources is picked over the larger later of more rationing in order to have those resources later
e.g.the driver alone receives the benefits of convenience and comfort that come from driving one’s car. If the drier shoe to walk, the reduction in air pollution would be so slight as to be undetectable
tragedy of the commons
