Quantitative Analysis of Behavior
Encyclopedia
Quantitative analysis of behavior is the quantitative form of the experimental analysis of behavior
. This has become the dominant scientific approach to behavior analysis. It represents behavioral research using quantitative models of behavior. The parameters in the models hopefully have theoretical meaning beyond being used to fit models to data. The field was founded by Richard Herrnstein
(1961) when he proposed single-alternative equation from his description of choice in concurrent schedules of reinforcement Herrnstein (1970) introduced the Matching Law
. The field is extremely integrative having integrated models from economics
, zoology
, philosophy
, and other branches of psychology, especially Mathematical psychology
of which it is a branch. The emphasis is on animal behavior and the continuity or discontinuity of humans and other animals. The field is represented by the Society for Quantitative Analysis of Behavior
. Two major aspects of the field are Stimulus control
and Reinforcement Control. Quantitative Analysis of Behavior addresses the following topics among others: Behavioral economics, Behavioral momentum
, Connectionist systems or Neural networks
, Integration
, Hyperbolic discounting
including the Delay reduction hypothesis
, Foraging
, Hunting
, Errorless learning
, Creativity
, Learning
, and the Rescorla-Wagner model
, Matching law
, Melioration, Scalar expectancy
, Signal Detection
, Neural hysteresis, and Reinforcement Control.
Experimental analysis of behavior
The experimental analysis of behavior is the name given to the school of psychology founded by B.F. Skinner, and based on his philosophy of radical behaviorism. A central principle was the inductive, data-driven examination of functional relations, as opposed to the kinds of hypothetico-deductive...
. This has become the dominant scientific approach to behavior analysis. It represents behavioral research using quantitative models of behavior. The parameters in the models hopefully have theoretical meaning beyond being used to fit models to data. The field was founded by Richard Herrnstein
Richard Herrnstein
Richard J. Herrnstein was an American researcher in animal learning in the Skinnerian tradition. He was one of the founders of quantitative analysis of behavior....
(1961) when he proposed single-alternative equation from his description of choice in concurrent schedules of reinforcement Herrnstein (1970) introduced the Matching Law
Matching law
In operant conditioning, the matching law is a quantitative relationship that holds between the relative rates of response and the relative rates of reinforcement in concurrent schedules of reinforcement...
. The field is extremely integrative having integrated models from economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, and other branches of psychology, especially Mathematical psychology
Mathematical psychology
Mathematical psychology is an approach to psychological research that is based on mathematical modeling of perceptual, cognitive and motor processes, and on the establishment of law-like rules that relate quantifiable stimulus characteristics with quantifiable behavior...
of which it is a branch. The emphasis is on animal behavior and the continuity or discontinuity of humans and other animals. The field is represented by the Society for Quantitative Analysis of Behavior
Society for Quantitative Analysis of Behavior
The Society for Quantitative Analysis of Behavior was founded in 1978 by Michael Lamport Commons and John Anthony Nevin. The first president was Richard J. Herrnstein. In the beginning it was called the Harvard Symposium on Quantitative Analysis of Behavior...
. Two major aspects of the field are Stimulus control
Stimulus control
Stimulus control is the phenomenon of a stimulus increasing the probability of a behavior because of a history of that behavior being differentially reinforced in the presence of the stimulus...
and Reinforcement Control. Quantitative Analysis of Behavior addresses the following topics among others: Behavioral economics, Behavioral momentum
Behavioral momentum
Behavioral momentum is a theory in quantitative analysis of behavior and is a comparative metaphor based on physical momentum. It describes the general relation between resistance to change and the rate of reinforcement obtained in a given situation.B.F...
, Connectionist systems or Neural networks
Neural Networks
Neural Networks is the official journal of the three oldest societies dedicated to research in neural networks: International Neural Network Society, European Neural Network Society and Japanese Neural Network Society, published by Elsevier...
, Integration
System integration
In engineering, system integration is the bringing together of the component subsystems into one system and ensuring that the subsystems function together as a system...
, Hyperbolic discounting
Hyperbolic discounting
In behavioral economics, hyperbolic discounting is a time-inconsistent model of discounting.Given two similar rewards, humans show a preference for one that arrives sooner rather than later. Humans are said to discount the value of the later reward, by a factor that increases with the length of the...
including the Delay reduction hypothesis
Delay reduction hypothesis
In classical conditioning, the delay reduction hypothesis states that certain discriminative stimuli are more effective as conditioned reinforcers if they signal a decrease in time to a positive reinforcer or an increase in time to an aversive stimulus or punishment...
, Foraging
Foraging
- Definitions and significance of foraging behavior :Foraging is the act of searching for and exploiting food resources. It affects an animal's fitness because it plays an important role in an animal's ability to survive and reproduce...
, Hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, Errorless learning
Errorless learning
Errorless learning is a procedure introduced by Herbert Terrace which allows discrimination learning to occur with few or even with no responses to the negative stimulus . A negative stimulus is a stimulus associated with undesirable consequences...
, Creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
, Learning
Learning
Learning is acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves.Human learning...
, and the Rescorla-Wagner model
Rescorla-Wagner model
The Rescorla–Wagner model is a model of classical conditioning in which the animal is theorized to learn from the discrepancy between what is expected to happen and what actually happens. This is a trial-level model in which each stimulus is either present or not present at some point in the trial...
, Matching law
Matching law
In operant conditioning, the matching law is a quantitative relationship that holds between the relative rates of response and the relative rates of reinforcement in concurrent schedules of reinforcement...
, Melioration, Scalar expectancy
Scalar expectancy
The Scalar timing or scalar expectancy theory is a model that posits an internal clock, and particular memory and decision processes. This is one of the most popular views of timing in animals. The clock and memory are driven by a discrete pacemaker-accumulator mechanism that yields a linear...
, Signal Detection
Detection theory
Detection theory, or signal detection theory, is a means to quantify the ability to discern between information-bearing energy patterns and random energy patterns that distract from the information Detection theory, or signal detection theory, is a means to quantify the ability to discern between...
, Neural hysteresis, and Reinforcement Control.
Concepts and Models
- Matching lawMatching lawIn operant conditioning, the matching law is a quantitative relationship that holds between the relative rates of response and the relative rates of reinforcement in concurrent schedules of reinforcement...
- Rate of responseRate of responseRate of response is a ratio between two measurements with different units. Rate of responding is the number of responses per minute, or some other time unit. It is usually written as R. Its first major exponent was B.F. Skinner . It is used in the Matching Law.R = # of Responses/Unit of time =...
- Rate of reinforcementRate of reinforcementIn behaviorism, rate of reinforcement is number of reinforcements per time, usually per minute. Symbol of this rate is usually Rf. Its first major exponent was B.F. Skinner . It is used in the Matching Law....
- Mathematical principles of reinforcementMathematical principles of reinforcementMathematical principles of reinforcement are a set of mathematical equations that attempt to describe and predict the most fundamental aspects of behavior. The three key principles of MPR, arousal, constraint, and coupling, describe how incentives motivate responding, how time constrains it, and...
- Behavioral momentumBehavioral momentumBehavioral momentum is a theory in quantitative analysis of behavior and is a comparative metaphor based on physical momentum. It describes the general relation between resistance to change and the rate of reinforcement obtained in a given situation.B.F...
Influential people in quantitative analysis of behavior
- Michael CommonsMichael CommonsMichael Lamport Commons is a theoretical behavioral scientist and a complex systems scientist. He developed the Model of Hierarchical Complexity...
- William EstesWilliam EstesWilliam Estes may refer to:*William Kaye Estes , American scientist*William Lee Estes , U.S. federal judge...
- John GibbonJohn GibbonJohn Gibbon was a career United States Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
- Richard HerrnsteinRichard HerrnsteinRichard J. Herrnstein was an American researcher in animal learning in the Skinnerian tradition. He was one of the founders of quantitative analysis of behavior....
- Peter Richard KilleenPeter Richard KilleenPeter Richard Killeen is unusual in that he has made major contributions to a number of fields in the behavioral sciences. He has been one of the few premier contributors in quantitative analysis of behavior, and memory.-Life and work:...
- R. Duncan LuceR. Duncan LuceRobert Duncan Luce is the Distinguished Research Professor of Cognitive Science at the University of California, Irvine.Luce received a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1945, and PhD in Mathematics from the same university in 1950...
- John Anthony NevinJohn Anthony NevinJohn Anthony Nevin is Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of New Hampshire. He was born July 5, 1933, in New York City. In 1954, he obtained a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University, in 1961 an M.A. at Columbia University, then in 1963 a Ph.D. in Psychology. William N....
- Howard RachlinHoward RachlinHoward Rachlin is Emeritus Research Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Stony Brook Howard Rachlin (born 1935) is Emeritus Research Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Stony Brook Howard Rachlin (born 1935)...
- J. E. R. StaddonJ. E. R. StaddonJohn Eric Rayner Staddon is a British-born American behavioral psychologist known for research on interval timing, "superstition," and behavioral economics in rats, pigeons, and fish -- and people...