McDowell, J. J, & Dallery, J. (1999).
Falsification of matching theory: Changes in the asymptote of Herrnstein's hyperbola as a function of water deprivation.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
72, 251-268.
Five rats pressed levers on variable-interval schedules of water
reinforcement at various levels of water deprivation. In one
phase of the experiment, three deprivation conditions that
replicated conditions in Heyman and Monaghan (1987) were
arranged, along with three less extreme deprivation conditions.
In a second phase, water deprivation was arranged so that
subjects were exposed to a greater range of access to water per
day. Herrnstein's hyperbola described the rats' response-rate
data well. The y asymptote, k, of the hyperbola
appeared roughly constant over the conditions that replicated
those of Heyman and Monaghan, but decreased markedly when less
extreme deprivation conditions were included. In addition,
k varied systematically when the second method of
arranging deprivation was used. These results falsify a strong
form of matching theory and confirm predictions made by linear
system theory.
Key words: Herrnstein's hyperbola, matching theory, linear system
theory, reinforcer magnitude, water deprivation, lever press,
rats