Schedules and Theories of Reinforcement

Question 1

What is a continuous reinforcement schedule?

Answer 1

each specified responce is reinforced (every occurance)

Question 2

What is a intermediate (partial) reinforcement schedule?

Answer 2

only some responses are reinforced

Question 3

What are fixed ratio schedules?

Answer 3

reinforcement is contingent upon a FIXED, predictable NUMBER of responces

Question 4

What is ratio strain?

Answer 4

a disruption in responding due to an overly demanding response requirement (burn out)

Question 5

What are variable ratio schedules?

Answer 5

reinforcement is contingent upon a VARYING, unpredictable NUMBER of responces (average)

Question 6

What are fixed interval schedules?

Answer 6

reinforcement is contingent upon the first response after a FIXED, predictable PERIOD OF TIME

Question 7

What are variable interval schedules?

Answer 7

reinforcement is contingent upon the first response after a VARYING, unpredictable PERIOD OF TIME (average)

Question 8

Which interval schedule has low and high resistance to extinction?

Answer 8

fixed=low, variable=high

Question 9

What is a fixed duration schedule?

Answer 9

reinforcement contingent upon performing a behaviour continuously throughout a fixed, predictable period of time

Question 10

What is a variable duration schedule?

Answer 10

reinforcement contingent upon performing a behaviour continuously throughout a varying, unpredictable period of time

Question 11

What is differential reinforcement of high rates?

Answer 11

reinforcement is contingent upon emitting at least a certain number of responses in a certain period of time (for fast rate - ensures high response rate)

Question 12

What is differential reinforcement of low rates?

Answer 12

a minimum amount of time must be passed between each response before reinforcement will be delivered (slow rate)

Question 13

What is differential reinforcement of paced responding?

Answer 13

reinforcement is contingent upon emitting a series of responses at a set rate (good sense/rhythm)

Question 14

What is a fixed time schedule?

Answer 14

reinforcer delivered following a fixed predictable period of time regardless of organism’s behaviour (free)

Question 15

What is a variable time schedule?

Answer 15

reinforcer delivered following a varying, unpredictable period of time, regardless of organism’s behaviour

Question 16

What happens if a noncontingent of reinforcement is superimposed on a regular contingent schedule?

Answer 16

rate of response on noncontingent schedules will decrease

Question 17

What are conjunctive schedules?

Answer 17

the requirements of two or more simple schedules must be met before a reinforcer is delivered

Question 18

What are adjusting schedules?

Answer 18

the response requirement changes as a function of the organism’s performance while responding for the previous reinforcer

Question 19

What are chained schedules?

Answer 19

consists of a sequence of two or more simple schedules each of which has it’s own discriminative stimulus and the last of which results in a terminal reinforcer (systematic, particular order)

Question 20

What is the goal gradient effect?

Answer 20

an increase in the strength and/or efficiency of responding as one draws near to the goal (backward chaining)

Question 21

Describe Hull’s drive reduction theory.

Answer 21

an event is reinforcing to the extent that is is associated with a reduction in some kind of physiological drive (eg. hunger drive - search food - eat food - no hunger)

Question 22

Describe the premack principle.

Answer 22

states that a high probability behaviour can be used to reinforce a low probability behaviour (eg. first you work then you play)

Question 23

What is the response deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 23

behaviour can serve as a reinforcer when access to the behaviour is restricted and it’s frequency thereby falls below it’s preferred level of occurence (baseline)

Question 24

What is the behavioural bliss point approach?

Answer 24

an organism with free access toalternative activities will distribute it’s behaviour in such a way as to maximise overall reinforcement (maximise overall reinforcement)

Question 25

What are the 7 elements of token economy?

Answer 25

target behaviours, type of token, back up reinforcers, reinforcement schedules, exchange criterion, time/place for exchange, response cost