Is reinforcement theory testable?

[From Rick Marken (950701.1315)]

Bruce Abbott (950701.1355 EST)--

When one asserts that reinforcement theory "cannot" explain some finding,
you are inviting the reinforcement theorist to generate an ad hoc
explanation which demonstrates that there are ways in which the theory _can_
explain the finding. But such an explanation is not the kind a competent
reinforcement theorist would offer if asked to show that reinforcement
theory _does_ explain the data. The latter type of explanation would have
to include the results of empirical tests which support that explanation.

For a guy who hates to be cast in the role of defender of reinforcement
theory you sure do a lot of pro bono work on its behalf.

The best I can make of your comments in this post is that thereis simply
no data that would reject reinforcement theory. Is this true? If not, could
you please suggest one, count them ONE, new experiment that would test
reinforcement theory; that is, a study that could provide results
that would be inconsistent with a prediction of reinforcement theory. If
there are no such studies, then I think your interest in PCT is of a
completely different sort than mine.

Also, I have still seen no reinforcement model that explains that right
hand side of the response rate vs reinforcemnt rate curve. Is there an
explanation -- or just continuous discussion of post-reinforcement
pauses and other irrelevancies?

Best

Rick