Deviations from matching in consumer choice.

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that the matching law can be successfully applied to consumers' patterns of choice with substitutable products at both individual and aggregated (across a number of individuals) levels of analysis. This research aimed to clarify and generalize previous results found at an individual level using independent and complementary products. Aggregated results show that consumers behave according to the predictions of the matching law with qualitatively different reinforcers only when the data are considered on a weekly basis, i.e., as determined by a series of analogic FR schedules. For analogic VR schedules consumers showed matching independently of the degree of substitutability between the products. Further research is needed at an individual level for which the results were not conclusive, and with more extreme forms of complementarity between products.