Behavioural Persistence Through Intermittent Reinforcement

Front 1

Define and give an example of intermittent ReFt.

Back 1

- When ReFt is given only occassionally to a Beh.
- E.g. Smiling at others. They may not always smile back, but some will.

Front 2

Define and give an example of schedule of ReFt.

Back 2

- When ReFt is given according to a schedule.
- E.g. Fixed Ratio.

Front 3

Define and give an example of Continuous ReFt.

Back 3

- When Beh. is ReFd after every occurrence.
- E.g. When putting your key in your front door it will 'always' unlock and open.

Front 4

Describe 4 advantages of intermittent over conitnuous ReFt for maintaining Beh.

Back 4

1- ReFr stays effective longer because satiation is slower.
2- Intermittently ReFd Beh. takes longer to Extgsh.
3- On certain schedules, individuals work more consistently.
4- After being transferred to more natural ReFrs, Beh. that has been ReFd intermittently is more likely to persist.

Front 5

What is a Free-operant procedure? Give an example.

Back 5

- When an individual is free to respond repeatedly.
- E.g. A child can put as many toys away as they like.

Front 6

What is Discrete-Trials procedure? Give an example.

Back 6

- When a distinct stimulus is given before an opportunity to respond and ReFt is available.
E.g. A child is given only one toy at a time to put away and recieves praise for each toy.

Front 7

Name the schedules of ReFt use to develop Behrl persistance.

Back 7

- Fixed Ratio
- Variable Ratio
- Fixed Interval (Simple)
- Variable Interval (Simple)
- Fixed Interval with Limited Hold
- Variable Interval with Limited Hold
- Fixed Duration
- Variable Duration

Front 8

Explain what an FR schedule is. Give an example from everyday life. Does it involve free-operant or discrete trials procedures? Explain.

Back 8

- FR is when ReFt is given only after a set amount of Res. have been made.
- E.g. A child recieves praise only after putting away 10 toys.
- Free-operant because the child is free to respond repeatedly and does not need to wait for another toy being given.

Front 9

What are 3 characteristic effects of an FR schedule?

Back 9

1- Produces a high steady rate of responding (when gradually increased)
2- Short postreinforcement pause (duration dependant upon value of FR - higher=longer)
3- High resistance to Extctn.

Front 10

What is Ratio Strain?

Back 10

- When Beh. decreases due to a too abrupt increase in a Ratio Schedule. Looks like Beh. is being extgshd.

Front 11

Explain why FR would not be used to teach students to sit at their desks.

Back 11

- Because sitting at a desk is a single Beh. They are only doing it once and most students can do it. It is the length of time that is of concern so a FI would be better used.

Front 12

Explain what a VR schedule is. Give an example from everyday life. Does it involve free-operant of discrete-trials? Explain.

Back 12

- VR is when ReFt is given after an unpredictable amount of responding. The schedule follows the Mean number of responses required before ReFt is given.
- E.g. Asking someone for a date - not sure when someone will respond.
- Free-operant because you are free to ask repeatedly (debatable).

Front 13

Describe how a VR schedule is similar to an FR schedule, procedurally. Describe how it is different, procedurally.

Back 13

- Similar because the responses need to be watched and counted so we know when to give ReFt.
- Different because in VR the mean amount of Res. needs to be pre-figured out and calculated (often using random numbers with the same mean).

Front 14

What are 3 characteristic effects of a VR schedule?

Back 14

1- high steady rate of responding.
2- no postreinforcement pause
3- High resistance to extctn

Front 15

What is an FI schedule?

Back 15

- When ReFt is made available only after a set amount of time has elapsed.

Front 16

What are 2 questions to ask when judging whether or not a Beh. is ReFd on an FI schedule? What answers to those questions would indicate that the Beh. is ReFd on an FI schedule?

Back 16

a) Does ReFt require only one response after a fixed interval of time?
b) Does responding during the interval affect anything?
If answer to a) is yes, and b) is no, then you have a FI schedule.

Front 17

Suppose that a professor gives an exam to students every Friday. The studying behaviour of the students would likely resemble the characteristic pattern of an FI schedule in that studying would gradually increase as Friday approaches, and the students woudl show a break in studying (i.e. postreinforcement pause) after each exam.
- Is this an example of an FI schedule? Why or why not?

Back 17

- No.
- Because only one instance of studying would not result in ReFt (pass the exam) and Response during the interval does result in greater ReFt (more study = better marks).

Front 18

What is a VI schedule?

Back 18

- When ReFt is given after an unpredicatble amount of time. The time is based on the overall average time. E.g. VI 25min = a ReFr is available, on average, once every 25 minutes.

Front 19

Explain why Simple Interval Schedules are not often used in training programs.

Back 19

a) FI produces long postreinforcement pauses
b) although VI does not generate postreinforcement pauses, in does generate lower rates of responding than ratio schedules.
c) they require continuous monitoring of behaviour after the end of each interval until a response occurs.

Front 20

Explain what an FI/LH schedule is, and describe the details of an example from everyday life.

Back 20

- When a ReFr is made available after a set amount of time, but is only available for a limited time.
- E.g. Waiting for a bus that comes every 15 minutes. ReFt (getting on the bus) is only available every 15 minutes, but after that 15 minutes the bus is only there for 2 minutes. Thus, ReFt will only be held for 2 mins, after being made available.

Front 21

Describe how a FI/LH schedule is similar to a simple FI schedule, procedurally. Describe how it is different procedurally.

Back 21

- Similar becuase monitoring of time is required.
- Different because FI/LH does not require continuous monitoring of Res. after the interval has ended. Only for the limited hold period.

Front 22

Explain what a VI/LH schedule is. Describe the details of a VI/LH schedule in everyday life.

Back 22

- When ReFt is made available after an unpredictable amount of time, and when available, it is only available for a limited amount of time.
- E.g. When waiting for fresh fruit to pick. It is available after a variable amount of time, and will only stay fresh for a limited period when available.

Front 23

What are 3 characteristic effects of a VI/LH schedule?

Back 23

1- High steady rate of responding
2- no postreinforcement pause
3- high resistance to extnctn

Front 24

Explain what an FD schedule is. Describe the details of an example of an FD schedule that occurs in everyday life.

Back 24

- When ReFt is made available when Responding has been continuously engaged in for a fixed amount of time.
- E.g. Being paid for working 8 hours. Leaving an exam after 2 hours.

Front 25

Suppose that each time you put bread in a toaster and press the lever, it takes 30 seconds for your toast to be ready. Is this an example of an FD schedule? Why or why not? Would it be an FD schedule if a) the cathc that keeps the lever down doesn't work, or b) the timer that releases it doesn't work. Explain in each case.

Back 25

- No
- Because it requires no responding on the part of the individual during the time the toast is down.
a) yes, because it requires continuous holding of the lever to keep it down.
b) no, because it does not require any continuous behaviour, just need to release the bread after a set amount of time.

Front 26

Explain why FD might not be a very good schedule for ReFg study behaviour.

Back 26

- Because it is necessary that the target behaviour is possible to monitor continuously. Study beh. could be difficult to monitor continuously, as it could only be monitoring sitting at a desk, not necessarily studying.

Front 27

Explain what a VD schedule is. Describe the details of an example from everyday life.

Back 27

- When ReFt is given when Beh. has been continuously engaged in for an unpredictable amount of time.
- E.g. Putting out a house fire with a hose. Waiting for the rain to stop.

Front 28

If an individual has an option of engaging in two or more behaviours that are ReFd on different schedule by different ReFrs, what four factors in combination, are likely to determine the response that will be made?

Back 28

a) the types of schedules that are operating
b) the immediacy of ReFt
c) the magnitude of ReFt (e.g watching a boring TV show vs. studying for a 70% exam)
d) the response effort involved in the different options.

Front 29

Describe how intermittent ReFt works against those who are ignorant of its effects. Give an example.

Back 29

- inadvertently ReFg something that you are trying to extinguish. E.g Starting to ignore crying for lollies, but then getting sick of it and giving in. This could backfire and provide intermittent ReFt, making the crying behaviour harder to extinguish in the future and possibly increase the rate of behaviour.