Clark Hull's Mathematical-Deductive Theory of Behavior

sEr

Excitatory Potential

V

Stimulus Intensity Dynamism

D

Drive Strength

K

Incentive Motivation

J

Incentive Delay

sHr

Habit Strength

sIr

Conditioned Inhibition

Ir

Reactive inhibition

sOr

Random Error

sLr

Reaction Threshold

Excitatory potential (sEr)

The likelihood that an organism will respond to a stimulus

Stimulus Intensity Dynamism (V)

Some stimuli will have greater influence on behavior than others

EXAMPLE: Conditional Taste Aversion

Drive Strength (D)

EXAMPLE: A hungrier animal will be more motivated to perform than a satiated

animal

Incentive Motivation (K)

Magnitude of the goal

EXAMPLE: An animal will be more motivated by a pile of food than by a single

pellet

Incentive Delay (J)

The delay before the animal is allowed to seek the goal

EXAMPLE: An animal will be more motivated if it has been denied the ability to

seek the goal for a longer time

Habit Strength (sHr)

Depends on contiguity and reinforcement

Reinforcement = Drive (D) reduction

sHr rises to asymptote

Conditioned Inhibition (sIr)

An S – R Link that interferes with performing the target response

Formed as Ir fades

Reactive Inhibition (Ir)

Analogous to Fatigue

Drive state

Fades with time

Random Error (sOr)

Impossible to fully eliminate confounding variables

EXAMPLE: A loud train passes by the lab where a rat is being trained. The animal

hears the train whistle and freezes

Reaction Threshold (sLr)

The smallest amount of reinforcement that will produce learning