NAME______
Reinforcement Schedules
The text indicates that in real life, continuous reinforcement is rare. Sometimes responses are reinforced, sometimes not. Among the most important schedules of partial reinforcement are the fixed ratio (FR), variable ratio (VR), fixed interval (FI), and variable interval (VI). Identify the schedule in the examples below by writing your answer-FR, VR, FI, or VI-in the spaces on the left. Remember that ratios involve reinforcement for how much is done while interval schedules represent the amount of time between reinforcements.
Finally, star the behaviors that will occur most frequently based on the reinforcement.
_____1. Buying state lottery tickets.
_____2. A hotel maid is allowed to take a I5-minute break only after having cleaned three rooms.
_____3. Watching and seeing shooting stars on a dark night.
_____4. A teenager receives an allowance every Saturday.
_____5. Checking the front porch for a newspaper when the delivery person is extremely unpredictable.
_____6. A professional baseball player gets a hit approximately every third time at bat.
_____7. Checking the oven to see if chocolate chip cookies are done, when baking time is known.
_____8. A blueberry picker receives $1 after filling 3 pint boxes.
_____9. A charitable organization makes an average of ten phone calls for every donation it receives.
_____10. Calling a garage mechanic to see if your car is fixed yet.
_____11. A student's final grade improves one level for every three book reviews submitted.
_____12. Going to the cafeteria to see if the next meal is available.
_____ 13. Inserting coins into a slot machine.
______14. John is paid $5 each time he hits a homerun.
______15. Occasionally feeding the dog under the table.
______16. Pop quizzes.
______17. paid 10 dollars for every 20 puzzles solved
______18) studying for a class that has surprise quizzes
______19) slot machines are based on this schedule
______20) trolling for fish in a lake in the summer
______21) speed traps on highways
______22) selling a product door to door
______23) getting the clothes out of the dryer once it buzzes
______24) going up a staircase to reach a landing with a nice view
______25) doing 20 pushups to help stay fit
______26) playing Bingo
______27) getting a paycheck at the end of 2 weeks
______28) random drug testing
______29) a strike in bowling
______30) calling your mechanic to see if your car is fixed yet
______31) frequent flyer program where one gets a free flight after a specific number of miles flown
______32) child screams and cries in store to get what he wants—every so often it works
______33) child who likes to hear theme music from Jeopardy every night at 7 pm
______34) trying to find a parking spot in Metropolis with a meter that works
______35) wife is watching boxing match with husband- she receives a kiss at the end of every 3-minute round
______36) waiting for a sunny day to go to the beach
______37) surfer waiting for the perfect wave to ride in
______38) looking under rocks for worms