Schedules of reinforcement refer to how rewards are delivered to strengthen behaviors over time. There are four main types of schedules: continuous, fixed interval, variable interval, and ratio schedules. Fixed interval schedules reward the first response after a set time period, causing responses to increase near the end of the interval. Variable interval schedules reward responses after random time periods, producing steady responding. Fixed ratio schedules reward responses given a set number of responses, while variable ratio schedules reward responses after unpredictable numbers of responses, both maintaining high and steady response rates. These schedules are important to understand how behaviors are conditioned through intermittent reward.

1. Schedules of Reinforcement
A mature study by two
immature minds
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2. Reinforcement is a term in psychology for a process of strengthening a directly
measurable dimension of behaviour--such as rate (e.g., pulling a lever more
frequently), duration (e.g., pulling a lever for longer periods of time), magnitude (e.g.,
pulling a lever with greater force), or latency (e.g., pulling a lever more quickly
following the onset of an environmental event)--as a function of the delivery of a
"valued" stimulus (e.g. money from a slot machine) immediately or shortly after the
occurrence of the behaviour.
A Reinforcer is a temporally contiguous
environmental event, or an effect directly
produced by a response (e.g., a musician
playing a melody), that functions to
strengthen or maintain the response thatCopyright © 2012 Sequels.

3. timing Life’s Rewards
The world would be a different place if
poker players never played cards again
after the first losing hand, fishermen
returned to shore as soon as they missed
a catch, or telemarketers never made
another phone call after their first hang-
up. The fact that such unreinforced
behaviours continue, often with great
frequency and persistence, illustrates that
reinforcement need not be received
continually for behaviour to be learned
and maintained.
In fact, behaviour that is reinforced only
occasionally can ultimately be learned
better than can behaviour that is always
reinforced.
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4. Classifications
Reinforcement
Continuous Intermittent
Fixed
Interval
Variable
Interval
Fixed
Ratio
Variable
Ratio
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5. Fixed-interval
scheduleWhere the first response is
rewarded only after a specified
amount of time has elapsed. This
schedule causes high amounts of
responding near the end of the
interval, but much slowerCopyright © 2012 Sequels.

6. • Students often study
minimally or not at all until the
day of the exam draws near.
– Just before the exam,
however, students begin to
cram for it, signalling a rapid
increase in the rate of their
studying response. As you
might expect, immediately
after the exam there is aCopyright © 2012 Sequels.

7. Variable-interval
schedule
Where the first response is rewarded
after an unpredictable amount of time
has passed. This schedule produces a
slow, steady rate of response.
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8. ♂One example of a fixed-interval
schedule is a weekly pay-
cheque.
♂Example for variable interval
will be the famous surprise
quizzes .Students have to
read and keep themselves
up-to-date for their upcoming
battle. Copyright © 2012 Sequels.

9. Variable-ratio
scheduleWhere a response is reinforced after an
unpredictable number of responses. This
schedule creates a high steady rate of
responding. Gambling and lottery games
are good examples of a reward based on a
variable ratio schedule.Copyright © 2012 Sequels.

10.  One example of a
variable-ratio schedule is
a telephone salesperson’s
job. He might make a sale
during the 3rd , 8th , 9th ,
and 20th calls without
being successful during
any call in between.
Although the number of
responses he must make
before making a sale
varies, it averages out to a
20 percent success rate.
Under these Copyright © 2012 Sequels.

11. Fixed-ratio
schedule
Where a response is reinforced only
after a specified number of responses.
This schedule produces a high steady
rate of responding with only a brief pause
after the delivery of the reinforcer..
Copyright © 2012 Sequels

12. ♀One example of
a fixed-ratio
schedule is a
weekly daring
Mathlab
assignments. Only
after submitting
we get our
respective marks
:D
♀This scheduleCopyright © 2012 Sequels.