An Application of the Matching Law to Social Dynamics
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2007-12
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Borrero, John C.; Crisolo, Stephany S.; Tu, Quichen; Reiland, Weston A.; Ross, Noel A.; Francisco, Monica T.; Yamamoto, Kenny Y.; An Application of the Matching Law to Social Dynamics; Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 40(4): 589–601 (2007); https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2078567/
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Abstract
Using a procedure similar to the one described by Conger and Killeen (1974), we evaluated levels of attending for 25 college students who participated in either a 20-min (n = 12) or 30-min (n = 13) discussion on juvenile delinquency. Confederates delivered statements of agreement (e.g., “I agree with that point”) according to independent variable-interval schedules. Pooled results were evaluated using three generalized formulations of the matching law, and showed that matching was more likely during the first 5 min of the discussion than during the last 5 min. Individual data for 7 of 9 participants were better described by the generalized response-rate matching equation than by the generalized time-allocation matching equation when response allocation was characterized in terms of frequency rather than duration.