Falsification of matching theory and confirmation of an evolutionary theory of behavior dynamics in a critical experiment

J J McDowell; Olivia L Calvin; Ryan Hackett; Bryan Klapes

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2017.03.025

Falsification of matching theory and confirmation of an evolutionary theory of behavior dynamics in a critical experiment

Behav Processes. 2017 Jul:140:61-68. doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.03.025. Epub 2017 Mar 31.

Authors

J J McDowell¹, Olivia L Calvin², Ryan Hackett², Bryan Klapes²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

PMID: 28373055
DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.03.025

Abstract

Two competing predictions of matching theory and an evolutionary theory of behavior dynamics, and one additional prediction of the evolutionary theory, were tested in a critical experiment in which human participants worked on concurrent schedules for money (Dallery et al., 2005). The three predictions concerned the descriptive adequacy of matching theory equations, and of equations describing emergent equilibria of the evolutionary theory. Tests of the predictions falsified matching theory and supported the evolutionary theory.

Keywords: Behavior dynamics; Evolutionary theory; Falsification; Matching theory; Prediction; Selection by consequences; Selectionism.

MeSH terms

Biological Evolution*
Humans
Models, Psychological*
Psychological Theory*
Reinforcement Schedule
Reinforcement, Psychology