THE CORRELATION‐BASED LAW OF EFFECT¹

TLDR

Organism–environment interactions form a feedback system, making instrumental behavior a continuous exchange that yields orderly relations at the aggregate flow level rather than at momentary events. The study proposes shifting the law of effect from event contiguity to event correlation. Consequences are measured on a common value scale, and behavior is analyzed within behavioral situations that circumscribe sets of values. Recent research supports the shift, showing that a correlation‑based law of effect promotes time‑extended measures and units, and enables a clearer redefinition of reinforcement, punishment, and their relation to discriminative stimuli.

Abstract

It is commonly understood that the interactions between an organism and its environment constitute a feedback system. This implies that instrumental behavior should be viewed as a continuous exchange between the organism and the environment. It follows that orderly relations between behavior and environment should emerge at the level of aggregate flow in time, rather than momentary events. These notions require a simple, but fundamental, change in the law of effect: from a law based on contiguity of events to a law based on correlation between events. Much recent research and argument favors such a change. If the correlation-based law of effect is accepted, it favors measures and units of analysis that transcend momentary events, extending through time. One can measure all consequences on a common scale, called value. One can define a unit of analysis called the behavioral situation, which circumscribes a set of values. These concepts allow redefinition of reinforcement and punishment, and clarification of their relation to discriminative stimuli.