PSYC 352 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Reinforcement, Tantrum, Unconditional Love
Document Summary
Getting a reward every time a behavior is performed. But you don"t always get a reward for every behavior. Fixed ratio (ratio = reinforcement based on number of responses) Fixed interval (interval = reinforcement based on time passages) The reinforcement is contingent upon a specific number of responses. 5 lever presses to get a food pellet = fr 5. 3 spins to get a dog treat = fr 3. Typically see a high rate of response, then a pause after the reward. To switch to higher ratio (fr 3 to fr 50), you need to gradually increase or step-up. Fr 3, fr 5, fr 10, fr 2-, fr 30, fr 42, fr 50. If you try to go too fast or make the ratio too high the animal/person gets pushed out and experiences ratio strain, where the behavior stops or becomes disrupted. The delivery of the reinforcers is variable but on average will occur within a given number of responses.