摘要:

The mathematical theory of linear systems, which has been used successfully to describe behavior maintained by variable‐interval schedules, is extended to describe behavior maintained by variable‐ratio schedules. The result of the analysis is a pair of equations, one of which expresses response rate on a variable‐ratio schedule as a function of the mean ratio requirement () that the schedule arranges. The other equation expresses response rate on a variable‐ratio schedule as a function of reinforcement rate. Both equations accurately describe existing data from variable‐ratio schedules. The theory accounts for two additional characteristics of behavior maintained by variable‐ratio schedules; namely, the appearance of strained, two‐valued (i.e., zero or very rapid) responding at large s, and the abrupt cessation of responding at a boundary . The theory also accounts for differences between behavior on variable‐interval and variable‐ratio schedules, including (a) the occurrence of strained responding on variable‐ratio but not on variable‐interval schedules, (b) the abrupt cessation of responding on variable‐ratio but not on variable‐interval schedules even at extreme parameter values, and (c) the occurrence of higher response rates on variable‐ratio than on variable‐interval schedules. Furthermore, given data from a series of variable‐interval schedules and from a series of concurrent variable‐ratio variable‐interval schedules, the theory permits quantitative prediction of many properties of behavior on single‐alternative variable‐ratio schedules. The linear system theory's combined account of behavior on variable‐interval and variable‐ratio schedules is superior to existing versions of six other mathematical theories of vari

ISSN:0022-5002    

DOI:10.1901/jeab.1988.49-143

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1988

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0022-5002    

DOI:10.1901/jeab.1988.49-171

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1988

数据来源: WILEY