A person will persist playing a broken slot machine longer than spending money in a broken vending machine due to the _____ effect.
A)continuous reinforcement
B)intermittent reinforcement
C)shaping by approximations
D)interval reinforcement

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The person is more likely to persist playing the broken slot machine due to intermittent reinforcement, which occurs when rewards are given sporadically rather than consistently. The occasional payout on the broken slot machine acts as a positive reinforcement and the person may continue playing in hopes of receiving another payout. In contrast, a broken vending machine that consistently fails to dispense items is more likely to result in extinction, where the person stops trying to obtain the reward altogether.

A Person Will Persist Playing a Broken Slot Machine Longer