Deck 8: Developing Behavioral Persistence With Schedules of Reinforcement

Question 1

What are three characteristic effects of an FR schedule?

Answer 1

(a)A high steady rate until reinforcement; (b)a post reinforcement pause; and (c)high resistance to extinction.

Question 2

Explain what an FI/LH schedule is, and illustrate with an example that is not in this chapter.(Hint: Think of behaviors that occur at certain fixed times, such as arriving for meals, plane departures, and cooking.)

Answer 2

Reinforcement is contingent upon the first instance of a specific response occurring within a limited period of time following the expiration of a fixed interval of time.For example, waiting for a bus at a bus stop on a regular city route is probably reinforced on an approximation of an FI/LH schedule.The response is going to or being at the bus stop.The fixed interval is the length of time between bus arrivals (such as every 15 minutes).The limited hold is the amount of time the bus waits at the bus stop after it arrives.Any plausible example that is not in the chapter is acceptable.

Question 3

Define CRF and give an example that is not in this chapter.

Answer 3

CRF, continuous reinforcement, is a schedule of reinforcement in which each instance of a particular response is reinforced.For example, if Jan had received reinforcement for each math problem solved, then she would have been on a continuous reinforcement schedule.Any appropriate example is acceptable.

Question 4

What are two questions to ask when judging whether a behavior is reinforced on an FI schedule? [ What answers to those questions would indicate that the behavior is reinforced on an FI schedule?

Question 5

Explain why simple interval schedules are not often used in training programs.

Question 6

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

Question 7

Suppose that a professor gives an exam to students every Friday.The students' studying behavior would likely resemble the characteristic pattern of an FI schedule in that studying would gradually increase as Friday approaches, and the students would show a break in studying (similar to a lengthy postreinforcement pause)after each exam.But this is not an example of an FI schedule for studying.Explain why.

Question 8

Define and give an example of response rate.

Question 9

Explain what a VR schedule is. Illustrate with two examples of VR schedules in everyday life (at least one of which is not in this chapter). Do your examples involve a free-operant procedure or a discrete-trials procedure? [

Question 10

What is an FI schedule?

Question 11

Explain what an FR schedule is. Illustrate with two examples of FR schedules in everyday life (at least one of which is not in this chapter).

Question 12

Explain what an FR/LH schedule is, and illustrate with an example from everyday life that is not in this chapter.

Question 13

What is ratio strain?

Question 14

Describe four advantages of intermittent reinforcement over CRF for maintaining behavior.

Question 15

What is a VI schedule?

Question 16

What are three characteristic effects of a VR schedule?

Question 17

What is a free-operant procedure?

Question 18

Explain what a PR schedule is, and how PR has been mainly used in applied settings.

Question 19

What is a discrete-trials procedure?

Question 20

Define and give an example of schedule of reinforcement.

Question 21

Give two examples of how FD might be applied in training programs.

Question 22

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

Question 23

Describe how FR schedules may be involved in writing a novel.

Question 24

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

Question 25

Name six schedules of reinforcement commonly used to develop behavior persistence .

Question 26

If an individual has an option of engaging in two or more behaviors that are reinforced on different schedules by different reinforcers, what four factors in combination are likely to determine the response that the person will make?

Question 27

Explain why FD might not be a very good schedule for reinforcing study behavior.

Question 28

Describe how an FI/LH schedule is procedurally similar to a simple FI schedule. Describe how it procedurally differs.

Question 29

Explain what a VD schedule is, and illustrate with an example of one from everyday life (that is not in this chapter).

Question 30

What are concurrent schedules of reinforcement?

Question 31

Might it be better to reinforce a child for dusting the living room furniture for a fixed period of time or for a fixed number of items dusted? Explain your answer.

Question 32

Give two examples of how VI/LH might be applied in training programs.

Question 33

Briefly describe how schedules of reinforcement can help us understand behavior that has frequently been attributed to inner motivational states.

Question 34

Explain what an FD schedule is. Illustrate with two examples of FD schedules that occur in everyday life (at least one of which is not in this chapter).

Question 35

Who wrote the classic authoritative work on schedules of reinforcement, and what is the title of that book?

Question 36

What may account for the failures to obtain the schedule effects in basic research with humans that are typically found in basic research with animals?

Question 37

Explain what a VI/LH schedule is.Illustrate with two examples from everyday life (at least one of which is not in this chapter).