Levels of Aggregation and the Generalized Matching Law

Concurrent operant behavior is often described using molar response tendencies measured over many sessions. In contrast, other models relate the allocation of behavior to momentary or molecular processes that operate over shorter periods. In this article, a formal model of the statistical properties of molecular behavioral matching is developed. Molar matching is the result when many individual bouts of responding are aggregated. However, behavioral allocation at the molecular level will differ from the molar result. The model indicates that aggregation effects should be controlled in analyses of matching and that the comparison of molecular theories of concurrent operant behavior with molecular models of matching performance affords ideographic analyses of choice behavior.