Among the following, who is reinforced on a variable-ratio schedule?
A) Zara, who is paid an hourly wage.
B) Lise, who sells real estate and is paid whenever she sells a house.
C) Galiana, who works for a yearly salary.
D) Detlev, who does piece work and is paid for each unit he produces.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lise, who sells real estate and is paid whenever she sells a house, is reinforced on a variable-ratio schedule because the reinforcement (getting paid) occurs after an unpredictable number of sales (variable ratio), which is known to be a highly effective schedule for maintaining a behavior. The other options are reinforced on fixed schedules (hourly wage, yearly salary) or a fixed ratio schedule (piece work).

Among the Following, Who Is Reinforced on a Variable-Ratio Schedule