Which of the partial schedules produces the highest rates of responding?
A)Fixed interval
B)Fixed ratio
C)Variable interval
D)Variable ratio

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Variable ratio schedules have been shown to produce the highest rates of responding among the partial reinforcement schedules. This is because the reinforcement is delivered after a variable number of responses, meaning the subject cannot predict exactly when the reinforcement will be delivered, so they keep responding at a high rate in anticipation of the next reward. Fixed ratio schedules also produce high rates of responding, but not as high as variable ratio schedules, as the subject knows that they need to complete a certain number of responses before reinforcement is delivered. Fixed interval and variable interval schedules produce lower rates of responding, as the subject only needs to respond at a certain time or after a certain amount of time has passed, regardless of the number of responses made.

Which of the Partial Schedules Produces the Highest Rates of Responding