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Measuring reinforcer efficacy: does relative persistence do it? Comment on Meisch (2000)
1Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, USA. branch@psych.ufl.edu
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
|September 7, 2000
Summary
This study critiques a method for scaling reinforcer effectiveness using fixed-ratio schedules. The chosen baseline significantly impacts results, potentially altering perceived experimental effects.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral science
- Operant conditioning
- Quantitative analysis
Background:
- R. A. Meisch (2000a) proposed a method to scale reinforcer effectiveness.
- This method uses the ratio of output under different fixed-ratio schedules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the validity of Meisch's (2000a) method for scaling reinforcer effectiveness.
- To highlight the critical role of baseline selection in this measurement technique.
Main Methods:
- Utilized fixed-ratio (FR) schedules to measure behavioral output.
- Calculated the ratio of output between a larger FR schedule and a smaller FR schedule.
- Examined how different baseline selections influence the observed effects.
Main Results:
- The ratio generally increases with reinforcer magnitude.
- The method violates the principle of measurement by comparison to a fixed standard.
- Baseline selection can lead to a range of observed effects, from none to substantial.
Conclusions:
- The method's reliance on a variable baseline compromises its foundational measurement principles.
- Careful consideration and justification of baseline selection are crucial for accurate interpretation of results.
- The observed effects are highly dependent on the chosen comparison standard.