MacDonall, J.S. (2009).
The stay/switch model of concurrent choice.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 91, 21-39.
This experiment compared descriptions of concurrent choice by the stay/switch model, which says choice is a function of the reinforcers obtained for
staying at and for switching from each alternative, and the generalized matching law, which says choice is a function of the total reinforcers obtained
at each alternative. For the stay/switch model two schedules operate when at each alternative. One arranges reinforcers for staying there and the other
arranges reinforcers for switching from there. Rats were exposed to eight or nine conditions that differed in the arrangement of the values of the stay
and switch schedules. The generalized matching law described preferences when arrangements were similar to those found when using two concurrently
running interval schedules. It did not, however, describe all preferences when using different arrangements. The stay/switch model described all
preferences in one analysis. In addition, comparisons of selected conditions indicated that changing the ratio of obtained reinforcers was neither
necessary nor sufficient for changing preference as measured by response ratios. Taken together these results provide support for the stay/switch model
as a viable alternative to the generalized matching law and that the critical independent variable is allocation of stay and switch reinforcers..
Key words:concurrent schedule, generalized matching law, momentary maximizing, optimal foraging theory, stay/switch model, lever press, rats