With operant conditioning, if a response will only be reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses have been made, the type of reinforcement schedule that is in place is referred to as a:
A)variable-ratio schedule
B)fixed-ratio schedule
C)fixed-interval schedule
D)variable-interval schedule

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a variable-ratio schedule, reinforcement is given after an unpredictable number of responses, which makes it a strong and persistent form of reinforcement. This is in contrast to a fixed-ratio schedule, which provides reinforcement after a fixed number of responses, a fixed-interval schedule which provides reinforcement after a fixed amount of time has passed, or a variable-interval schedule which provides reinforcement after an unpredictable amount of time has passed.

With Operant Conditioning, If a Response Will Only Be Reinforced