Date of Award
May 2015
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
John C. Moore
Committee Members
John C. Moore, Marshall L. Dermer, Jeffrey Tiger
Abstract
According to the constant difference effect (Savastano & Fantino, 1996), preference for the shorter link in a pair of terminal links should be the same as for the shorter link of another pair of terminal links, given that the absolute difference between the two terminal links is constant. Hyperbolic Delay Discounting (Mazur & Biondi, 2009; see also Mazur, 2002) asserts that preference for the shorter link should decrease hyperbolically. The current experiment examined these models using pigeons as subjects in a concurrent chains experiment, with equal initial links of VI 30 s and terminal links of VI 10 s vs VI 30 s, VI 30 s vs VI 50 s, and VI 50 s vs VI 70 s. Results supported the Hyperbolic Delay Discounting model.
Recommended Citation
Prentice, Carrie Suzanne, "Examining the Constant Difference Effect in a Concurrent Chains Procedure" (2015). Theses and Dissertations. 831.
https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/831