Response Deprivation : an Empirical Approach to Instrumental Performance

The empirical law of effect is criticized as an incomplete step in the development of empirical laws of instrumental performance. An alternate approach to the prediction of performance is developed which follows Premack in relating instrumental performance to empirical measures of operant behavior. However, it is concluded that instrumental performance is not determined by a probability differential in operant baseline between the instrumental and contingent responses, but by the condition of response deprivation. This condition depends on the terms of the schedule as well as operant baseline measures. The response deprivation condition occurs in a contingency if, in performing the instrumental response at operant baseline, the subject would perform less than his operant baseline of the contingent response. Instrumental performance appears directly related to the amount of response deprivation. Response selection and the application of the response deprivation approach are discussed.