Schedules of Reinforcement

peter likes playing the slot machine. He knows full well that when he puts money in and pulls the lever he is only sometimes going to receive a reward. He finds them fun, regardless.

Variable ratio

Jodie is a 5-year-old who loves buying a treat from the ice cream truck when it comes around. It only comes every few days, so Jodie makes sure to always listen for its jingle so that she doesn’t miss it.

Variable Interval

john posts regularly to his favorite social media platforms. when he unexpected receives notifications that someone shared his post, it reinforces him to post more in the future.

Variable Ratio 

Cora receives a $10 allowance every Saturday, as long as she helps with household chores during the week. It doesn’t matter how many chores she did. As long as she helped in some way, she gets her allowance.

Fixed Interval 

Everly works ar a company that gives pay increases every year to combat inflation.These pay increases aren’t merit-based, so it doesn’t matter how hard Everly worked in the previous year, they still get the same increase.

Fixed Interval

Nick joined the “Atlas Coffee Club,” a subscription box service that delivers him a bag of coffee from somewhere around the world at the end of the month as long as he pays for it at some point during the prior month

Fixed Interval

Quincy is taking a class that includes surprise quizzes. the quizzes happen ab once every week (tho sometimes is skips a week). Quincy makes sure to study during the week so that they can do well on the quizzes when they occur

Variable Interval 

Jenna enjoys going to the family-owned coffee shop on the corner of her street. They aren’t big enough to have an official rewards program, but randomly when she buys coffee they barista gives it to her for free as a “thank you” for her business.

Variable Ratio

Norma likes to grab coffee from Future Grounds every morning. She enjoys the fact that for every 10 coffees she purchases, she gets a free coffee.

Fixed Ratio

Robbie swims competitively for his college. He is occasionally, and unpredictably, asked to submit a drug screening to ensure that he isn’t using performance enhancing drugs. He makes sure to stay clean throughout the year, but bc he never knows when these screening will occur.

Variable Interval

Arabella is participating in the “Book It!” summer reading program. If she reads 10 books, then she can earn a free personal pan pizza. She loves pizza, so she makes sure to read as many books as she can. 

Fixed Ratio