Choice and rate-amount independence in a titration procedure

Abstract

The generalized matching law or Law of Allocation proposed by Baum (2018a, 2018b) potentially provides a broad conceptual framework within which to understand the allocation of time among activities. In its simplest form, the law incorporates power-function induction of activities by variables such as rate and amount of delivered inducers. Whether these variables affect allocation independently of one another is a central issue, because independence of the variables would allow simple multiplication of power functions and would make quantitative prediction simple too. The present experiment used a titration procedure to test the independence of rate and amount of food in determining pigeons’ allocation of pecking between two keys. Amount ratio was varied within sessions to engender different peck ratios. Rate ratio was varied across two series of conditions. The results conformed to the predictions of the simple version of the Law of Allocation by strongly supporting independence of rate and amount. The Law of Allocation may have broad application for understanding activities in natural settings and everyday life.