Chapter 13 - Ratio Schedules

Question 1

What schedule of reinforcement would you use in order to maximize the length of time that it takes a response to extinguish after reinforcement is stopped? __________

Answer 1

variable-ratio

Question 2

If every hundredth response is reinforced, the person may stop responding or start responding irregularly. The effect of such a large ratio is known as __________.

Answer 2

ratio strain

Question 3

Maria’s parents put her on a well-designed chore system. She was paid right after correctly doing a chore and only for doing it correctly. She felt the amount of money was plenty for the work. But Maria already earned more money than she could spend by babysitting. They were weakening the money reinforcer by ignoring the principle of __________.

Answer 3

deprivation

Question 4

Staats and associates (1964) found that reading acquisition responses could be increased by delivering a marble after every response. What is the label for the generic schedule of reinforcement the were using? __________

Answer 4

continuous

Question 5

Sarah sold Tupperware to Barbara but Barbara usually would not buy the newest item on the first try. Usually Sarah had to try many times (2, 3, 4, or 5 times), but Barbara always bought the new item eventually. What schedule is Sarah’s selling behavior on? _________

Answer 5

variable-ratio

Question 6

Rich agreed to paint the house as part of his chores if he could have a rest break after every 100 brush strokes. After he counted 100 strokes, he got a drink of water and took a brief break. What schedule of reinforcement is his painting on? __________

Answer 6

fixed ratio

Question 7

Maria’s parents had her on a well-designed chore system. They checked carefully to see if she did the chore. They kept a careful record of her chore behavior. They paid her at the end of the week. Maria seemed to like the amount of money they paid her. They weakened the effectiveness of the money by ignoring the principle of __________.

Answer 7

immediacy

Question 8

Angie seemed to have a hearing problem. She never answered a question the first time it was asked of her. She always said “What?” to the questioner and then would answer the second time it was asked. What is the name of the schedule that the questioner is on? __________

Answer 8

fixed-ratio

Question 9

Bob lived near the common phone in the dorm, so he had to answer it much of the time. Furthermore, most of the dorm members didn’t bother to thank him for answering it. He found that, on the average, he got thanked only once every four times. His phone answering was reinforced according to what schedule? __________

Answer 9

variable-ratio

Question 10

Describe the rate of responding with a fixed-ratio schedule and a variable-ratio schedule.

Answer 10

variable-ratio has a higher rate than a fixed-ratio

Question 11

When someone is reinforced for every response, he or she is said to be on the generic schedule referred to as the __________ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 11

continuous

Question 12

Don’s father used to have an endless interest in hearing about the last chapter in his science-fiction books. Later, his father listened to Don’s account only after Don had read an entire book. If you consider a response to the reading of one chapter, and three books had 6, 19, and 11 chapters each, what schedule of reinforcement was his father using later to reinforce reading of chapters? _________

Answer 12

variable-ratio

Question 13

If a person is reinforced for different numbers of responses each time, he is on the specific schedule called a(n) __________ schedule.

Answer 13

variable-ratio

Question 14

Jake is complicated for just saying “no” every 13 times. What schedule of reinforcement are Jake’s “no’s” on? ___________

Answer 14

fixed-ratio

Question 15

Staats and associates (1964) studied the rate of reading acquisition responses of children when they were given a reinforcer after every response and when they were given a reinforcer after varying numbers of responses that averaged five. Name the schedule that produced the highest rate of responding. __________

Answer 15

variable-ratio

Question 16

When Don came home late at night, the door was always locked. So he would dig out his keys, insert the key in the lock, and turn it. The door never opened, so he would turn it again and it would open. What schedule of reinforcement was his key-turning behavior on? ___________

Answer 16

fixed-ratio

Question 17

Frank wanted increased the rate at which his infant daughter Alice imitated his behavior when he said, “Can you do this?” So he gave her bite of ice cream each time she imitated. She usually lost interest after about 15 imitations. If Frank asked you how he could increase the number of times she imitated him while still using ice cream, you should suggest that he switch to what generic schedule? A(n) __________ schedule.

Answer 17

intermittent

Question 18

The ratio that produces alternating periods of responding and pausing is called a(n) __________.

Answer 18

fixed-ratio

Question 19

tactic #6 in using the reinforcement strategy for solving human problems is to increase response rate with a(n) __________ schedule of reinforcement.

Answer 19

ratio

Question 20

Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of the ratio schedules.

Answer 20

Advantages - reduces satiation or increases resistance to extinction. Disadvantages - bad for shaping or may produce ratio strain

Question 21

Professor Irving often talks with students about what field to major in; she tries to interest them in psychology. She finds that about 1 in 10 on the average end up becoming psychology majors. If getting majors is a reinforcer for her, what schedule is her talking with students on? __________

Answer 21

variable-ratio

Question 22

If a person is reinforced for some responses but not for every response, he is said to be on what generic schedule: a(n) __________.

Answer 22

intermittent

Question 23

What schedule of reinforcement is usually used with shaping? __________

Answer 23

continuous

Question 24

Name and define two specific types of schedules that involve counting the number of responses.

Answer 24

variable-ratio - reinforcement delivered after varying numbers of responses. fixed-ratio - reinforcement delivered after a fixed number of responses