Schedules of Reinforcement (OC)

Question 1

Name the two most common schedules of reinforcement.

Answer 1

• Continuous

- Intermittent/ Partial

Question 2

Describe continuous reinforcement:

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Describe Intermittent/partial reinforcement:

Answer 3

• 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)

Question 4

What type of behaviour emerge once there has been considerable exposure to the schedule?

Answer 4

• Steady-state behaviours emerge once there has been

considerable exposure to the schedule

Question 5

What are the types of schedules of intermittent reinforcement?

Answer 5

• Ratio schedules
Fixed and Variable

• Interval schedules
Fixed and Variable

Question 6

What is a Fixed Ratio Schedule (FR)?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Is there a post-reinforcement pause with FR?

Answer 7

Yes- small post-reinforcement pause to eat/rest/etc.

Overall it is a ‘break and run’ cycle

Question 8

Does FR have a high rate of responding?

Answer 8

Yes

Question 9

How long is a post-reinforcement pause for a FR?

Answer 9

Post-reinforcement pause lengthens with task duration
•Dense vs lean schedules
• Burnout and gradual increase from dense to lean

Question 10

What are dense vs lean schedules?

Answer 10

Lean= involved task
Dense= less involved task

Question 11

Does FR have a high or low resistance of extinction?

Answer 11

Low

Question 12

What is a Variable Ratio (VR) Schedule of reinforcement?

Answer 12

Reinforcement depends upon a variable/unpredictable number of responses emitted since the last reinforcer

Question 13

What is an example of VR?

Answer 13

Poker machines. You don’t know how many times you have to press the lever to win.

Question 14

Is there a post-reinforcement pause with VR?

Answer 14

No

Question 15

Does VR have a high rate of responding?

Answer 15

Yes- high and steady

Question 16

Does VR have a high or low resistance of extinction?

Answer 16

High

Question 17

What is a fixed Interval Schedule (FI)?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What is the pattern of response for FI?

Answer 18

A scalloped pattern due to long post-reinforcement pauses

Question 19

Does FI have long post-reinforcement pauses?

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

Does FI have a high or low resistance to extinction?

Answer 20

Low

Question 21

What is a Variable Interval Schedule (VI)?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is the pattern of response for VI?

Answer 22

Moderate-steady rate of responding

Question 23

Does VI have long post-reinforcement pauses?

Answer 23

No post-reinforcement pause at all

Question 24

Does VI have a high or low resistance to extinction?

Answer 24

High resistance

Question 25

What is extinction?

Answer 25

Non-reinforcement of a previously reinforced response, resulting in a decrease in response strength

Question 26

• If the response ceases, it has been ____________ • If not entirely ceased, it is ______ __________

Answer 26

Extinguished; partially extinguished

Question 27

What are the six side effects of extincition? Expain them

Answer 27

1. 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) 2. Increase in variability • The way in which the behaviour occurs changes form (rat tries to press lever in different ways) 3. Emotional behaviour • Frustration! 4. Aggression If it doesn’t appear to be working it could be: 5. Resurgence • Unusual but like regression – reappearance of previously successful behaviour 6. Depression • Symptoms similar to this reflecting loss of reinforcement

Question 28

There is a ____ resistance to extinction if it is persistent and a ____ low resistance to extinction if it disappears quickly

Answer 28

high; low

Question 29

Which schedule of reinforcement is hardest to extinguish?

Answer 29

Note partial reinforcement effect in which intermittent schedule leads to higher resistance -Variable

Question 30

How does history of reinforcement impact extinction?

Answer 30

More reinforcers = harder to extinguish

Question 31

How does Magnitude of the reinforcer impact extinction?

Answer 31

Larger= harder to extinguish

Question 32

How does degree of deprivation impact extinction?

Answer 32

more deprivation = bigger the reinforcer thus harder to extinguish

Question 33

What are some factors that make extinction hard?

Answer 33

* Resistance to extinction * Schedule of reinforcement * History of reinforcement * Magnitude of the reinforcer * Degree of deprivation * Previous experience with extinction

Question 34

What is spontaneous recovery?

Answer 34

* Reappearance of extinguished response after rest period | * Repeated efforts required for learning due to presence of discriminative stimulus

Question 35

What is Differential reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO)? Give an example

Answer 35

• 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

Question 36

What are three types of complex schedules of reinforcement?

Answer 36

Duration, time, progressive

Question 37

How do duration schedules work?

Answer 37

A behaviour must be performed continuously for a period of time (either fixed or variable).

Question 38

How do time schedules work?

Answer 38

A reinforcer is delivered after a period of time (either fixed or variable) regardless of what behaviour occurs

Question 39

How do progresive schedules work?

Answer 39

The requirement for the reinforcement increases in a predetermined way following each reinforcement.

Question 40

What is a chained schedule of reinforcement?

Answer 40

• Sequence of simple schedules in a specific order • Weaker responses earlier in chain (goal gradient effect) • Long chains can be vulnerable to disruption

Question 41

On paper, draw an example of a chained schedule of reinforcement

Answer 41

5 presses of red disk 3 presses of the green disk Total 8 presses produces reinforcer of food

Question 42

What is are Multiple schedules?

Answer 42

A mix of 2 or more simple schedules

Question 43

What is are Mixed schedules?

Answer 43

Requirements for reinforcement are a combination of two or more simple schedules.

Question 44

What is are Co-operative schedules?

Answer 44

Reinforcement is contingent on the behaviour of two or more individuals.

Question 45

What is are Concurrent schedules?

Answer 45

Two or more schedules are available at once and the individual or animal must choose between them.

Question 46

What are the four hypotheses explaining the partial-reinforcement effect?

Answer 46

* The Discrimination Hypothesis * The Frustration Hypothesis * The Sequential Hypothesis * The Response Unit Hypothesis

Question 47

What is The Discrimination Hypothesis?

Answer 47

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.

Question 48

What is The Frustration Hypothesis

Answer 48

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.

Question 49

What is The Sequential Hypothesis

Answer 49

• 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.

Question 50

What is The Response Unit Hypothesis

Answer 50

• 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.