Schedules of Reinforcement (OC) Flashcards
Name the two most common schedules of reinforcement.
- Continuous
- Intermittent/ Partial
Describe continuous reinforcement:
Every occurrence of an operant response is followed
by a reinforcer
- Initial conditioning or shaping
- Brush your teeth before bed
- Press the lever for food
Describe Intermittent/partial reinforcement:
• Only some occurrences of the operant response are followed
by a reinforcer
• Close alignment with life (i.e. we are not ALWAYS awesome –
or told we are – or get what we want)
What type of behaviour emerge once there has been considerable exposure to the schedule?
• Steady-state behaviours emerge once there has been
considerable exposure to the schedule
What are the types of schedules of intermittent reinforcement?
• Ratio schedules
Fixed and Variable
• Interval schedules
Fixed and Variable
What is a Fixed Ratio Schedule (FR)?
Reinforcement depends upon a fixed/predictable number of responses emitted since the last reinforcer • FR1 = each response is followed by reinforcement • FR4 = the 4th response is followed by reinforcement
Is there a post-reinforcement pause with FR?
Yes- small post-reinforcement pause to eat/rest/etc.
Overall it is a ‘break and run’ cycle
Does FR have a high rate of responding?
Yes
How long is a post-reinforcement pause for a FR?
Post-reinforcement pause lengthens with task duration
•Dense vs lean schedules
• Burnout and gradual increase from dense to lean
What are dense vs lean schedules?
Lean= involved task Dense= less involved task
Does FR have a high or low resistance of extinction?
Low
What is a Variable Ratio (VR) Schedule of reinforcement?
Reinforcement depends upon a variable/unpredictable number of responses emitted since the last reinforcer
What is an example of VR?
Poker machines. You don’t know how many times you have to press the lever to win.
Is there a post-reinforcement pause with VR?
No
Does VR have a high rate of responding?
Yes- high and steady
Does VR have a high or low resistance of extinction?
High
What is a fixed Interval Schedule (FI)?
A response is reinforced when a fixed/predictable period of time has elapsed since the last reinforcer
FI 25 = after 25 secs have elapsed since the last reinforcer, reinforcement will be given again
What is the pattern of response for FI?
A scalloped pattern due to long post-reinforcement pauses
Does FI have long post-reinforcement pauses?
Yes. For example, the rat knows it can only get food every 3 minutes so for the first 2.5 minutes it’ll just slack off, hence, the longer post-reinforcement pauses.
Does FI have a high or low resistance to extinction?
Low
What is a Variable Interval Schedule (VI)?
A response is reinforced when a variable/unpredictable period of time has elapsed since the last reinforcer
- VI 25 = after an average of 25 secs since
the last reinforcer, reinforcement will be
given again
What is the pattern of response for VI?
Moderate-steady rate of responding
Does VI have long post-reinforcement pauses?
No post-reinforcement pause at all
Does VI have a high or low resistance to extinction?
High resistance
What is extinction?
Non-reinforcement of a previously reinforced response, resulting in a decrease in response strength
• If the response ceases, it has been
____________
• If not entirely ceased, it is ______ __________
Extinguished; partially extinguished
What are the six side effects of extincition? Expain them
- Extinction burst
• Temporary increase in frequency and intensity of
responding when implemented (rat tries to press lever a lot to get food even if there isnt any) - Increase in variability
• The way in which the behaviour occurs changes form (rat tries to press lever in different ways) - Emotional behaviour
• Frustration! - Aggression
If it doesn’t appear to be working it could be:
- Resurgence
• Unusual but like regression – reappearance of
previously successful behaviour - Depression
• Symptoms similar to this reflecting loss of
reinforcement
There is a ____ resistance to extinction if it is persistent and a ____ low resistance to extinction if it disappears quickly
high; low
Which schedule of reinforcement is hardest to extinguish?
Note partial reinforcement effect in which intermittent
schedule leads to higher resistance
-Variable
How does history of reinforcement impact extinction?
More reinforcers = harder to extinguish
How does Magnitude of the reinforcer impact extinction?
Larger= harder to extinguish
How does degree of deprivation impact extinction?
more deprivation = bigger the reinforcer thus harder to extinguish
What are some factors that make extinction hard?
- Resistance to extinction
- Schedule of reinforcement
- History of reinforcement
- Magnitude of the reinforcer
- Degree of deprivation
- Previous experience with extinction
What is spontaneous recovery?
- Reappearance of extinguished response after rest period
* Repeated efforts required for learning due to presence of discriminative stimulus
What is Differential reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO)? Give an example
• Simultaneously extinguish behaviour
while reinforcing alternative behaviour
• No deprivation of reinforcement in the setting, thus reducing likely side effects AND can achieve desired
outcome but for alternative behavioural processes
- extinguish coffee drinking by reinforcing green tea drinking
What are three types of complex schedules of reinforcement?
Duration, time, progressive
How do duration schedules work?
A behaviour must be performed continuously for a period of time (either fixed or variable).
How do time schedules work?
A reinforcer is delivered after a period of time (either fixed or variable) regardless of what behaviour occurs
How do progresive schedules work?
The requirement for the reinforcement increases in a predetermined way following each reinforcement.
What is a chained schedule of reinforcement?
• Sequence of simple schedules in a specific order
• Weaker responses earlier in chain (goal gradient
effect)
• Long chains can be vulnerable to disruption
On paper, draw an example of a chained schedule of reinforcement
5 presses of red disk
3 presses of the green
disk
Total 8 presses
produces reinforcer of
food
What is are Multiple schedules?
A mix of 2 or more simple schedules
What is are Mixed schedules?
Requirements for reinforcement are a combination of two or more simple schedules.
What is are Co-operative schedules?
Reinforcement is contingent on the behaviour of two or more individuals.
What is are Concurrent schedules?
Two or more schedules are available at once and the individual or animal must choose between them.
What are the four hypotheses explaining the partial-reinforcement effect?
- The Discrimination Hypothesis
- The Frustration Hypothesis
- The Sequential Hypothesis
- The Response Unit Hypothesis
What is The Discrimination Hypothesis?
Extinction takes longer after intermittent reinforcement
because it is harder to discriminate between an intermittent schedule and extinction, than it is to discriminate between continuous reinforcement and an extinction procedure.
What is The Frustration Hypothesis
Non-reinforcement of a previously reinforced behaviour is frustrating and that as frustration is an aversive state,
anything that reduces frustration will be reinforcing.
• In a partial reinforcment schedule, performing the
behaviour becomes a reinforcer for reducing frustration
and as such it continues during a phase of extinction.
What is The Sequential Hypothesis
• During the conditioning process the behaviour is followed by one of two events, either reinforcement or nonreinforcement.
• The sequence of behaviours becomes a signal for the
behaviour.
• If a behaviour has been partially reinforced then the
extinguished there is not the same change in the sequence of behaviours as if a continuous schedule had been used initially.
What is The Response Unit Hypothesis
• The partial reinforcement effect is due to differences in the definition of behaviour during intermittent and continuous reinforcement.
• Intermittent reinforcement appears more resistant to
extinction only because we have not taken into account the response units required to produce reinforcement.
