Molar function depends on molecular structure of behavior

Pigeons chose between green side keys, then waited a shorter or longer time before pecking a center key, and finally chose between red side keys. Two successive left choices (to green and then red) with a shorter wait intervening, or 2 successive right choices with a longer wait intervening, were intermittently reinforced with food. The 2 required waiting times and the relative frequency of reinforcement for the shorter reinforced pattern were varied. Molar preference, defined in terms of coherent responses that satisfied the molecular reinforcement contingency, conformed to the highly adaptive matching level, but molar preference, defined in terms of incoherent responses, did not. The molar matching result therefore generalizes to responses with complex molecular structures provided that analyses distinguish between coherent and incoherent responses. The results are compatible with the idea that awareness can facilitate adaptation.