The broken vending machine in Cathy's office dispenses sodas inconsistently.Sometimes Cathy gets a soda after putting in two quarters,but sometimes she only gets a soda after putting in five or six quarters.In operant conditioning terms,Cathy is being reinforced on a ________________ schedule.
A)fixed-ratio
B)fixed-interval
C)variable-ratio
D)variable-interval

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cathy is being reinforced on a variable-ratio schedule because the number of quarters she has to put in to get a soda varies. It is not a fixed-ratio schedule because the number of quarters required is not consistent. It is not a fixed-interval schedule because the time interval between reinforcements (getting a soda) is not fixed. Finally, it is not a variable-interval schedule because the time interval between reinforcements (getting a soda) is not relevant in this scenario.

The Broken Vending Machine in Cathy's Office Dispenses Sodas Inconsistently