Paul Romanowich, Jason Bourret, & Timothy R. Vollmer (2007).
Further analysis of the matching law to describe two- and three-point shot allocation by professional basketball players.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
40, 311-315.
The matching law was used to analyze whether the proportion of shots taken from two- or three-point
range would match the proportional reinforcement rates produced by those shots when the reinforcement
rate of three-point shooting was changed. Rule changes in 1994 and 1997 altered the distance of the
three-point line in the National Basketball Association, which created a quasiexperimental reversal
design, thereby naturally changing three-point reinforcement rates. The present data partially
confirmed predictions made by the matching law, in that increases in the relative rate of three-point shots
attempted corresponded to increases in the relative rate of three-point shots made.
DESCRIPTORS: matching, basketball, reversal design, choice, reinforcement rate