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

Flaherty, Charles F.

 
9780521658638: Incentive Relativity (Problems in the Behavioural Sciences, Series Number 15)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0521658632 ISBN 13: 9780521658638
Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1999

Synopsis

Incentive relativity is the study of the disappointment and irritation shown by animals and humans when they fail to obtain an expected reward. This book provides a full account of the subject, focusing on animals' responses to the relative value of rewards. These relativity effects cause stress in animals but they may also inspire adaptation beneficial to survival. This text shows how 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.

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 that they may also be adaptive. The book demonstrates that animal research may lead to an understanding of individual differences in discernment and susceptibility to disappointment, and to their adaptive advantages, or disadvantages.

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

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

Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Publication date
1999
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0521658632
ISBN 13 
9780521658638
Binding
Paperback
Number of pages
227