The highest rates of responding occurred when rats reinforced for pressing a bar were placed on ________ and ________ schedules of reinforcement.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Fixed-ratio schedules reinforce behavior after a certain number of responses have been made, while variable-ratio schedules reinforce behavior after an unpredictable number of responses. Both of these schedules have been shown to produce high rates of responding in rats trained to press a bar for reinforcement. Fixed-interval schedules reinforce behavior after a certain amount of time has passed, while variable-interval schedules reinforce behavior after an unpredictable amount of time has passed. Neither of these schedules has been shown to produce as high rates of responding as fixed-ratio and variable-ratio schedules. Therefore, the best choice is A.

The Highest Rates of Responding Occurred When Rats Reinforced for Pressing