title: Law of effect models and choice between many alternatives.
abstract: Data from five experiments on choice between more than two variable-interval schedules were modeled with different equations for the Law of Effect. Navakatikyan's (2007) component-functions models with three, four and five free parameters were compared with Stevens' (1957), Herrnstein's (1970) and Davison and Hunter's (1976) equations. These latter models are consistent with the generalized-matching principle, whereas Navakatikyan's models are not. Navakatikyan's models performed better or on par with their competitors, especially in predicting residence-time data and generalized-matching sensitivities for time allocation. The models described well an observed decrease, in several of these data sets, in generalized-matching sensitivity between two alternatives when reinforcer rate increased on the other alternatives. Models built on the generalized-matching principle cannot do this. Navakatikyan's models also performed better, though to a lesser extent, than their competitors for data sets that are not obviously inconsistent with generalized matching.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Statistics in Health, Australian Health Services Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael Alexander
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Navakatikyan
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murrell
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bensemann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elliffe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology
keywords: VI schedules; mathematical models; multi-alternative choice