Two Skinner boxes are side by side. The rat in the first Skinner box gets a food pellet every time it presses the bar. The rat in the second Skinner box gets a food pellet every ten times it presses the bar. If the food-dispensing mechanism is shut off, the rat in the first Skinner box will quit pressing the bar sooner than the rat in the second Skinner box does.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is because the rat in the first Skinner box is used to getting a food pellet every time it presses the bar, so when the food-dispensing mechanism is shut off, it will quickly realize that pressing the bar no longer results in a reward and stop pressing. On the other hand, the rat in the second Skinner box is used to pressing the bar multiple times before receiving a food pellet, so it will continue pressing the bar for a longer period of time before giving up.

Two Skinner Boxes Are Side by Side