All other things being equal, an animal trained on which of the following schedules of reinforcement should experience extinction most quickly when the reinforcement is removed?
A) Fixed-interval schedule
B) Continuous schedule
C) Variable-ratio schedule
D) Variable-interval schedule

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Animals trained on a continuous schedule of reinforcement receive a reward every time they perform the desired behavior. This type of reinforcement is the easiest to extinguish because the animal quickly learns that the behavior is not always rewarded, and stops performing it when the rewards stop. In contrast, variable-ratio and variable-interval schedules are more resistant to extinction because the animal never knows exactly when the reward will come, and so continues to perform the behavior in the hope of receiving a reward. Finally, on a fixed-interval schedule, the animal is only rewarded after a certain amount of time has passed, regardless of how many times it performs the desired behavior. This can lead to a "scalloped" pattern of behavior where the animal only performs the behavior leading up to the reward, which can take longer to extinguish than a continuous schedule.

All Other Things Being Equal, an Animal Trained on Which