Self-Control and Qualitatively Different Reinforcers

Melioration is a hypothesis about behavioral allocation during concurrent variable-interval schedules of reinforcement that states that behavioral distribution will be allocated more to local rates of reinforcement, in contrast to a maximization hypothesis that suggests that behavioral distribution will occur more at such strategies that produces most overall reinforcers (Vaughan, 1981). The melioration vs maximization hypothesis can be analogous to self-control where behaviors that are in accordance with melioration hypothesis are under control of immediate and smaller reinforcers, and where behaviors in accordance with the maximization hypothesis are under control of larger and delayed reinforcers. Forzano and Logue’s experiment (1994) suggests that qualitatively different reinforcers produces different behavioral allocation during same concurrent variable-interval schedules. This study investigated differences in responding during the same procedure as Vaughan (1981) but with qualitatively different reinforcers. No differences were found based on 11 undergrad psychology students at University of Nevada, Reno.