While reinforcement seeks to increase the chances that a behavior will continue, the way that the reinforcement is administered may affect the overall strength of the learned response. The schedules of reinforcement demonstrate different ways to administer reinforcement. This assignment ensures you are familiar with these schedules.

 

Complete the following:

 

Schedules of Reinforcement

 

Answer the following questions by identifying the correct schedule of reinforcement. 

 

(Continuous, variable ratio, variable interval, fixed ratio or fixed interval.)

 

Provide a 50- to 75-word explanation of why you believe this is the schedule of reinforcement being used.

 

1.     Parents are teaching 2-year-old Johnny how to use the toilet. Every time he urinates even a little amount in the toilet they jump up and down, and he gets a bite of his favorite cookie. Which schedule of reinforcement is this an example of when first teaching a skill?

 

 

 

2.     Mrs. Blass is tired of her students not being prepared for class each day. She knows that they are hard-working seniors who value getting an A in the class, and she wants to set up a schedule of work so they study hard and consistently. She schedules quizzes to be given every three school days. The students know when those quizzes will be given. Assuming the students find the grade of A or B to be reinforcing, what schedule of reinforcement is at work here?

 

3.     Sally broke up with her boyfriend. She refuses to text him back many of the times when he texts her. He texts here multiple times per day, and she is inconsistent in texting him back.  Sometimes, this means she will text back after he texts 10 times, and sometimes she texts back after he sends 20 texts. Eventually, she gets frustrated (and lonely) and will text back but only to say ‘hi,’ ‘good luck at your football game,’ or other seemingly meaningless comments. This process continues for months, where he texts her every day, and after an inconsistent number of his texts, she will break down and answer. Which schedule of reinforcement is the reason the boyfriend is still texting so long after the breakup?

 

4.     Elayna is thinking about opening a new coffee shop, which will compete with the big companies in town, but she is not sure how to draw in the crowds. To start, she offers reward stars. When customers come in, they get a star for every $5 they spend. Once they have spent $50, they receive a free medium drip coffee. Which schedule of reinforcement is Elayna using to lure in repeat business?

Dr. Lee notices his patients are not coming in for their routine visits on time. They often push them back, which causes backups at some times during the year (before school starts) and low numbers at other times of year (summer). He wants more consistent work, so he offers a 10% discount on his current rates if patients come to their two appointments a year, held precisely every 6 months. Patients motivated by this discount are adhering to which schedule of reinforcement?