Dallery, J., McDowell, J. J, & Lancaster, J. S. (2000).
Falsification of matching theory's account of single-alternative responding: k varies with sucrose concentration.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
73, 23-43.
Eight rats pressed levers for varying concentrations of sucrose
in water under eight variable-interval schedules that specified a
wide range of reinforcement rate. Herrnstein's (1970) hyperbolic
equation described the relation between reinforcement and
responding well. Although the y asymptote, k, of
the hyperbola appeared roughly constant over conditions that
approximated conditions used by Heyman and Monaghan (1994),
k varied when lower concentration solutions were included.
Advances in matching theory that reflect asymmetries between
response alternatives and insensitive responding were
incorporated into Herrnstein's equation. After fitting the
modified equation to the data, Herrnstein's k also
increased. The results suggest that variation in k can be
detected under a sufficiently wide range of reinforcer
magnitudes, and they also suggest that matching theory's account
of response strength is false. The results support qualitative
predictions made by linear system theory.
Key words: matching theory, linear system theory, reinforcer
magnitude, lever press, rats