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Complex Contingencies of Reinforcement

Schedules of Reinforcement

• Definition: Reinforcement schedules refer to the rules that determine when a behavior will be reinforced. They can range from simple to complex.

  • Types:

  • Continuous Reinforcement: Every instance of the response is reinforced.

  • Intermittent Reinforcement: The response is sometimes, but not always, reinforced.

  • Extinction: The response is not reinforced.

Types of Schedules of Reinforcement

• Specification: Specifies the number of responses or the amount of time that must lapse before a reinforcer is delivered.

• Four Main Types:

  1. Fixed-Ratio (FR)

  2. Variable-Ratio (VR)

  3. Fixed-Interval (FI)

  4. Variable-Interval (VI)

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

• Definition: A fixed-ratio schedule means the number of responses required per reinforcer is the same every time.

• Example: