Matching and maximizing with variable-time schedules.

Matching and Maximizing in Concurrent Schedules

In a recent article, Staddon and Motheral derived a mathematical model of responding in concurrent variable-interval-variable-interval schedules. According to this model, maximization of overall reinforcement rate predicts the operant matching law. However, Staddon and Motheral's derivation ignores a fundamental aspect of the concurrent schedule contingency. There are two simultaneously availab...

Variable-ratio schedules as variable-interval schedules with linear feedback loops.

The mathematical theory of linear systems has been used successfully to describe responding on variable-interval (VI) schedules. In the simplest extension of the theory to the variable-ratio (VR) case, VR schedules are treated as if they were VI schedules with linear feedback loops. The assumption entailed by this approach, namely, that VR and VI-plus-linear-feedback schedules are equivalent, w...

Area-Maximizing Schedules for Series-Parallel DAGs

Earlier work has introduced a new optimization goal for DAG schedules: the “AREA” of the schedule. AREA-maximizing schedules are intended for computational environments—such as Internet-based computing (IC for short) and massively multicore computers—that would benefit from DAG-schedules that produce execution-eligible tasks as fast as possible. The earlier study of AREA-maximizing schedules sh...

Variable Time Shock Schedules and Time Allocation in Rats: Differential Control by Relative Shock Frequency

Bicriteria Online Matching: Maximizing Weight and Cardinality

Inspired by online ad allocation problems, many results have been developed for online matching problems. Most of the previous work deals with a single objective, but, in practice, there is a need to optimize multiple objectives. Here, as an illustrative example motivated by display ads allocation, we study a bi-objective online matching problem. In particular, we consider a set of fixed nodes ...