Schedules of Reinforcement

Chapter 5
Learning
American Learning/Operant Conditioning
Schedules of Reinforcement

Schedules of reinforcement: how you pay off good behavior.

No schedules are bad, its in the way that you use them. If you know the following schedules you can run 99% of the business in the world.

F= fixed
R= ratio or number
V= variable or on the average (any schedule that has a V in front of it is usually addictive, and also more complex. More complex, therefore more prone to extinction.)
I= interval


1. Continuous reinforcement schedule: To establish a new behavior one should reinforce or reward every correct response. Once the response is emitted you need to change rewards or it will be expected every time.
2. Intermittent schedule of reinforcement: Once the organism is emitting the behavior at a reasonable rate than you should shift to an intermittent scheduale. That is reinforcing every once in awhile.
3. Fixed interval FI: paid by the hour. (fixed interval of time) Great as long as pay raises increase with increased productivity. Anytime you pay someone for productivity you must have a built in quality control.
4. Fixed ratio (number) FR: paid by productivity, must have built in quality control.
5. Variable Ratio VR: gambling, slot machines. On the average after a certain number of pulls there will be a reward. The subject will work harder, but can’t start a worker at VR. Start out at FI until that stops working. *On test slot mach
6. Variable Interval VI: on the average *******



Not schedules, but explain them:

Primary reinforcer: anything that is required for the survival of the species such as food and water. Powerful but short. Satieted.

Secondary reinforcer: anything the organism will work for because of its association with a primary reinforcer. For example: money, awards, grades, attention. People will only respond to reinforcers that are important to them.

It is better to give secondary reinforcement because people can not get enough of them. A dog that is full on treats will still work for attention.