Incentive Relativity: 15 (Problems in the Behavioural Sciences, Series Number 15) - Softcover

Flaherty, Charles E.

 
9780521658638: Incentive Relativity: 15 (Problems in the Behavioural Sciences, Series Number 15)

Synopsis

Disappointment and recovery occur frequently in life; as does irritation regarding ones financial or economic state compared to others. Incentive relativity is the study of this phenomenon, and this book provides a full account of the subject, suitable for behavioral scientists and psychologists. The book shows that animals also respond on the basis of the relative value of rewards - current compared to previous, to the reward available in one situation versus what is available in another context. These relativity effects are stressful in animals but they may also be adaptive, driving animals to seek the best that is available. The book demonstrates that animal research may lead to an understanding of individual differences in discernment and susceptibility to disappointment and to an understanding of both the advantages and disadvantages of dissatisfaction.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review

"The strength of Flaherty's book lies in its very thorough and clear review of the literature on the different varieties of contrast. ...it provides valuable background for researchers intrigued by the puzzles of contrast and by the questin of how to compute relative value temporally distant events." K. Geoffrey White, The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology

Book Description

Disappointment and recovery occur frequently in life; as does irritation regarding ones financial or economic state compared to others. Incentive relativity is the study of this phenomenon, and this book provides a full account of the subject. The book shows that animals also respond on the basis of the relative value of rewards and that these relativity effects are stressful, but they may also be adaptive.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.