Schedules of Reinforcement
Additional Practice
Helpful Hints!
• To chose between INTERVAL and RATIO ask
yourself:
– Is TIME the major factor that causes a favorable
outcome? (Interval)
-OR– Is it the REPETITION of responses that causes a
favorable outcome? (Ratio)
Helpful Hints!
• To chose between FIXED and VARIABLE ask
yourself:
– Is the time or repetition CONSTANT? (Fixed)
-OR– Is the time or repetition RANDOM or IRREGULAR?
(Variable)
The most common reinforcement schedules are:
fixed ratio
Example: A
farmer gets paid
for every 10
bushels of
apples
fixed interval
Example:
Planned tests
students cram
because the time
is near
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
1. _____ Paid $10 for every 20 puzzles solved
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
2. _____ Selling a product door to door
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
3. _____ Getting the clothes out of the dryer
once it buzzes
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
4. _____ Doing 20 pushups to help stay fit
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
5. _____ Waiting for a sunny day to go to the
beach
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
6. _____ Surfer waiting for the perfect wave to
ride in
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
7. _____ Students are released from class when
the end-of-period bell rings.
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
8. _____ Every time you buy a sandwich at
Subway you get your card punched; after 10
punches you get a free sandwich.
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
9. _____ Sometimes the mail is delivered at
1:00, sometimes it’s closer to 2:00.
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
10. _____ Once in a while you like to surprise
your boyfriend or girlfriend with something
nice.
How’d you do?!
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
1. _____ Paid $10 for every 20 puzzles solved
Answer: Fixed Ratio
– You must solve a certain number of puzzles
before you’re reinforced.
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
2. _____ Selling a product door to door
Answer: Variable Ratio
– The amount of times you need to go to a door
before you sell products varies…but eventually
you will sell the product.
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
3. _____ Getting the clothes out of the dryer once it
buzzes
Answer: Fixed Ratio
- You must go to the dryer a certain number of
times (once) when it buzzes to get reinforced
(clean clothes)
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
4. _____ Doing 20 pushups to help stay fit
Answer: Fixed Ratio
– You must do a certain number of pushups (20) to
get the desired outcome (staying fit)
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
5. _____ Waiting for a sunny day to go to the beach
Answer: Variable Interval
– Reinforced after varying lengths of time
• Ex. This week it’s 2 days and then sunny on
Wednesday, next week it’s 3 days and then sunny
on Thursday
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
6. _____ Surfer waiting for the perfect wave to
ride in
Answer: Variable Interval
– Reinforced after varying lengths of time
– Sometimes it’s 5 mins, sometimes it’s 10…
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
7. _____ Students are released from class when
the end-of-period bell rings.
Answer: Fixed Interval
– After 90 mins students are released to go to their
next class.
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI ?
8. _____ Every time you buy a sandwich at Subway
you get your card punched; after 10 punches you
get a free sandwich.
Answer: Fixed Ratio
– Certain number of response (10 sandwiches)= free
sandwich
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
9. _____ Sometimes the mail is delivered at 1:00,
sometimes it’s closer to 2:00.
Answer: Variable Interval
– Reinforced after varying lengths of time
(between 1 and 2pm)
Is it FR, VR, FI or VI?
10. _____ Child who like to hear theme music
from Jeopardy weeknights at 7:30 p.m.
Answer: Fixed Interval
– Reinforced after certain period of time- wait until
7:30!