Choice as time allocation.

Researchers placed pigeons in a box with two keys.

Each key paid off on a different schedule.

The birds could hop and peck as they wished.

The team logged every second the birds spent on each side.

Time on each side almost matched the payoff rate.

If the left key paid 70 percent of the food, birds stayed about 70 percent of the time there.

They also showed a small right-side habit that never went away.

Deluty et al. (1978) swapped food for mild shock.

Rats still matched their time to the shock rate, proving the rule works for bad events too.

Dugan et al. (1995) used hens that had to peck one key and push a door for the other key.

The different moves created a built-in bias, yet the matching equation still predicted the split.

Mellitz et al. (1983) later showed birds don’t always match; sometimes they pick the option most likely to pay next.

Both papers are right: matching describes long-run totals, while momentary maximizing explains snap choices.

Your client’s time is the same limited currency.

If you want more time on math and less on escape, raise the payoff rate for math.

Check for bias: a favorite seat or toy can act like the pigeons’ right-side pull.

Track minutes, not just correct responses, to see the true allocation.