Chapter 6 Schedules of Reinforcement What is Learning Acquisition of a new behavior Includes when no new behaviors appear Increase in the rate of a behavior Change in the pattern of performance Reduction in the rate of a behavior Schedule of Reinforcement The rule describing the delivery of reinforcement SCHEDULE EFFECTS Certain reinforcement schedules produce reliable and predictable patterns and rates of performance Character Traits Schedules of Reinforcement Dictates which response will be followed by a reinforcer Continuous Reinforcement CRF Intermittent Schedules Every response is followed by the reinforcer The response that is reinforced is dictated by the schedule Extinction is the opposite of CRF Behavior is stronger and more resistant to extinction Rapid increases in behavior and useful in shaping More likely in natural environment Schedules of Reinforcement There are lots of different types of schedules most important ones fall into these four groups Fixed Ratio Schedules Reinforcer presented after X number of responses This number does not change Produces a high rate of reinforcement with a post reinforcement pause Examples Pay for units made Game token earned after set number of responses Grain every third key peck http www edpsycinteractive org topics behavior operant html Post Reinforcement Pause Variable Ratio Schedules Reinforcer presented after X number of responses on AVERAGE Produces a high rate of response with no postreinforcement pause Examples Slot machine Phone solicitor Animal checking trash cans for food web sbu edu Fixed Interval Schedules Reinforcer presented for the first response after X amount of time Time does not change Produces a low rate of response with increases at the end of the interval Examples e mail delivery every 2 hours Hourly supervisor checks Coloring hair Pregnancy Test Exams betabunny com Variable Interval Schedules Reinforcer presented for the first response after X amount of time on AVERAGE Produces a relatively low rate of response that is steady Examples Unpredictable supervisor checks Checking text messages edpsycinteractive org Comparing Interval and Ratio Schedules Schedules of Reinforcement Review Question 1 The Fuzzy Peach advertises you will receive a free yogurt after you have purchased 10 small cups Fixed Ratio FR Question 2 When you are fishing you may catch a fish after 4 casts 5 casts 7 casts or 10 casts Variable Ratio VR Question 3 When you are waiting on the teacher to grade your assignments Maybe graded in one day two days or seven days Variable Interval VI Question 4 Give your child allowance on Sunday Fixed Interval FI Other Simple Schedules Other Simple Schedules Other Simple Schedules Other Simple Schedules mayasjourneytolife blogspot com Other Simple Schedules Other Simple Schedules Stretching the Ratio Partial Reinforcement Effect PRE Behavior maintained on an intermittent schedule tends to be more resistant to extinction than behavior on continuous reinforcement The thinner the reinforcement schedule the greater the number of lever presses during extinction Demonstrated by Mowrer and Jones 1945 Law of effect indicates that unreinforced lever presses that occur during an intermittent schedule should weaken the tendency to press not make it stronger Why does the PRE exist Why does the PRE exist Amsel 1958 1962 Why does the PRE exist Capaldi 1966 1967 Why does the PRE exist Mowrer and Jones 1945 Apparent advantage of intermittent reinforcement disappears Learning and Behavior Sixth Edition by Paul Chance Copyright 2009 Wadsworth Publishing a division of Cengage Learning All rights COMPLEX SCHEDULES Multiple Schedules Behavior under influence of two or more simple schedules each associated with a particular stimulus FI 10 VR 10 MULTI FI 10 VR 10 Mixed Schedule Same as multiple except that there are no stimuli associated with the change in reinforcement contingencies FI 10 VR 10 MIXED FI 10 VR 10 Chain Schedule Reinforcement occurs after two or more successive schedules have been completed with a stimulus indicating when one schedule has been completed and the next has started FR 10 FI 15 VR 20 CHAIN FR 10 FI 15 VR 20 Tandem Schedule Same as chain except there is no signal for the end of one schedule and the beginning of the next FR 15 FI 2 TAND FR 15 FI 2 Cooperative Schedule Arrange schedules that make reinforcement dependent on the behavior of two or more individuals FR 10 FR 10 FR 20 Concurrent Schedule Two or more schedules are available at once Choice is then assessed by comparing an animal s rate of responding on one lever with its rate of responding on the other Lever A VR 20 Involves a choice which generally tends to favor the the richer schedule Lever B VR 50 Matching Law Relative rate of responding on a particular lever equals the relative rate of reinforcement on that lever B1 r1 B2 r2 Called the matching law because the distribution of behaviors matches the availability of reinforcement Matching Law Mathematical expression for predicting how an animal will work on each schedule in a two choice situation BA BA BB rA rA rB William Baum did experiment in an attic with wild pigeons and foraging to demonstrate this law The Matching Law and Computer Game Development Follow this link to read an article by game developers about the importance of understanding choice and the matching law when developing games http www gamasutra com view fe ature 131420 the psychology of c hoice php print 1 Importance of Schedules Research Helps explain some personality traits and differences in behavior Can provide a baseline for evaluating effects of toxins diet sleep deprivation exercise brain stimulation etc Schedules research allows researchers to test drug effects Learning and Behavior Sixth Edition by Paul Chance Copyright 2009 Wadsworth Publishing a division of Cengage Learning All rights