When food is the reinforcer, it is possible to stretch the ratio to the point at which an animal expends more energy than it receives.

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This phenomenon is called ratio strain, and it occurs when an animal must respond too many times before receiving a reinforcer. As a result, the animal may become frustrated, agitated, and stop responding altogether. If the cost of responding outweighs the reward of the reinforcer, then the animal may even expend more energy than it receives. This can be detrimental to the animal's health and well-being, and it highlights the importance of careful reinforcement scheduling and monitoring in animal training and behavior modification.

When Food Is the Reinforcer, It Is Possible to Stretch