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Related Experiment Videos

Enduring problems for molecular accounts of operant behavior.

B A Williams1

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Animal Behavior Processes
|April 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

The Associative Learner theory inadequately explains behavior in free-operant situations. It overlooks crucial factors like reinforcement rate and incentive variables, limiting its scope compared to matching theory.

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral psychology
  • Learning theory

Background:

  • The Associative Learner (AL) theory by Shimp, Childers, and Hightower (1990) models free-operant behavior.
  • Existing theories aim to comprehensively explain animal and human behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the adequacy of the Associative Learner theory.
  • To compare AL theory with Herrnstein's matching theory.

Main Methods:

  • The study critically analyzes the theoretical framework of the Associative Learner theory.
  • It assesses the theory's ability to account for empirical findings in operant conditioning.

Main Results:

  • The Associative Learner theory underestimates the impact of relative reinforcement rates on behavior.

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  • It fails to incorporate incentive variables like reinforcement amount and delay.

    • Conclusions:

    • The Associative Learner theory is not a sufficiently comprehensive account of behavior.
    • Herrnstein's matching theory remains a more adequate general model for free-operant behavior.