McDowell, J. J (2005).
On the classic and modern theories of matching.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 84, 111-
127.
Classic matching theory, which is based on Herrnstein’s (1961) original matching
equation and includes the well-known quantitative law of effect, is almost
certainly false. The theory is logically inconsistent with known experimental
findings, and experiments have shown that its central constant-k assumption is
not tenable. Modern matching theory, which is based on the power function
version of the original matching equation, remains tenable, although it has not
been discussed or studied extensively. The modern theory is logically
consistent with known experimental findings, it predicts the fact and details of
the violation of the classic theory’s constant-k assumption, and it accurately
describes at least some data that are inconsistent with the classic theory.
Key words: matching theory, matching law, quantitative law of effect,
Herrnstein’s hyperbola