PSYC 2600H Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Reinforcement
8 Mar 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Readings for february 26th chapter 7: schedules and theories of reinforcement. On fixed ratio schedule reinforcement is contingent upon a fixed, predictable number of responses. Generally produce a high rate of response along with a short pause following the attainment of reach reinforcer. This short pause is known as post-reinforcement pause (cid:862)stret(cid:272)hi(cid:374)g the ratio(cid:863) moving from a low ratio requirement to a high ratio requirement. On a variable ratio schedule, reinforcement is dependent upon varying, unpredictable number of responses. E. g. , a vr 5 means that a rat has to emit an average of 5 lever pressed for each food pellet, with the number of lever responses on any particular trial varying between, say, 1 and 10. Vr schedules generally produce a high and steady rate of response, often with little or no post- reinforcement pause. On a fixed interval schedule, reinforcement is contingent upon the first response after a fixed, predictable period of time.
