Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

A multivariate rate equation for variable-interval performance.

J J McDowell, R Kessel

    Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
    |March 1, 1979
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    An Evolutionary Complex Systems Theory of Adaptive Behavior.

    Perspectives on behavior science·2026
    Same author

    The Evolutionary Theory of Behavior Dynamics Predicts Delay Discounting.

    Perspectives on behavior science·2025
    Same author

    A contemporary quantitative model for continuous choice under reinforcing and punishing contingencies.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2025
    Same author

    Creating and Studying the Behavior of Artificial Organisms Animated by an Evolutionary Theory of Behavior Dynamics.

    Perspectives on behavior science·2023
    Same author

    A test of the evolutionary theory's account of punishment superimposed on single-alternative schedules.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2022
    Same author

    Corrigendum to: Methodological improvements to a procedure for rapidly establishing steady-state behavior.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2022
    Same journal

    The Genoeconomics of Impulsive Intertemporal Choice: A Critical Review.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2026
    Same journal

    Shaping the extinction burst: Increasing its probability and preventing its emergence across topographies.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2026
    Same journal

    Evaluating the combined effects of effort and probability on monetary discounting.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2026
    Same journal

    An improved translational approach to studying persistence-strengthening effects of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2026
    Same journal

    Interactions between the effects of food and water motivating operations on concurrent food- and water-reinforced responding in mice.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2026
    Same journal

    Odor-visual and visual-visual matching to sample with dogs.

    Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2026
    See all related articles

    A new rate equation for variable-interval performance incorporates "reinforcer power," improving predictions beyond Herrnstein's hyperbola. This model better describes how both the rate and power of reinforcement jointly affect behavior.

    Area of Science:

    • Behavioral psychology
    • Mathematical modeling of behavior

    Background:

    • Herrnstein's hyperbola is a key model for understanding response rate as a function of reinforcement rate.
    • Existing models may not fully capture the complex interplay of reinforcement variables.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • Introduce a novel rate equation incorporating a "reinforcer power" parameter.
    • To describe variable-interval performance as a joint function of reinforcement rate and power.
    • To test the equation's predictive accuracy against existing models and data.

    Main Methods:

    • Derivation of a new rate equation from formal considerations.
    • Testing the equation with univariate data, comparing it to Herrnstein's hyperbola.
    • Deriving a form of Herrnstein's hyperbola from the new equation to predict concurrent performance.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Scaling reinforcer values in concurrent situations to determine reinforcer power.
  • Fitting the multivariate rate equation to empirical data with varied reinforcement rate and power.

    • Main Results:

    • The new rate equation accurately describes univariate data, matching Herrnstein's hyperbola.
    • A derived form of the equation predicts matching in concurrent situations.
    • The multivariate equation provides a good description of variable-interval performance when both reinforcement rate and power are varied.
    • The proposed model accounts for the joint effects of reinforcement rate and power, which are not predicted by Herrnstein's equation.

    Conclusions:

    • The introduced "reinforcer power" parameter, alongside reinforcement rate, offers a more complete description of reinforcement.
    • The new rate equation provides a superior framework for understanding and predicting behavior under variable-interval schedules, especially when reinforcement characteristics vary.
    • This model advances the quantitative analysis of behavior by integrating multiple facets of reinforcement.