Partial schedules of reinforcement maintain behavior over the long term.

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Partial (or intermittent) schedules of reinforcement involve reinforcing a behavior only sometimes, rather than every time. This can include fixed or variable schedules, and reinforcement can be based on a certain number of behaviors or a certain amount of time. Research has shown that behaviors that are reinforced on a partial schedule tend to be more resistant to extinction (i.e. they continue even when reinforcement is no longer provided) than those that are reinforced consistently every time. Therefore, partial schedules of reinforcement can help to maintain behavior over the long term.

Partial Schedules of Reinforcement Maintain Behavior Over the Long Term