A behaviorist arranges a choice situation in which a rat is exposed to two levers.For every 100 times the rat presses the right lever,it receives seven food pellets.For every 20 times the rat presses the left lever,it receives one food pellet.Both levers produce food on a _____-ratio schedule of reinforcement and rational choice theory predicts preference for the _____ lever.
A)fixed;left
B)fixed;right
C)variabl;left
D)variabl;right

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both levers are on a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. The right lever has a higher ratio requirement (100 presses for 7 pellets) compared to the left lever (20 presses for 1 pellet). According to rational choice theory, the rat will prefer the lever that provides the highest payoff rate, which would be the right lever in this case. Therefore, the best choice is option B: fixed; right.

A Behaviorist Arranges a Choice Situation in Which a Rat