What is variable interval response?

What is variable interval response?

In operant conditioning, a variable-interval schedule is a schedule of reinforcement where a response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed, which is the opposite of a fixed-interval schedule. This schedule produces a slow, steady rate of response.

What is an example of variable interval reinforcement?

One classic example of variable interval reinforcement is having a health inspector or secret shopper come into a workplace. Store employees or even managers may not know when someone is coming in to inspect the store, although they may know it’s happening once a quarter or twice a year.

What is variable interval in ABA?

Variable Interval (VI) Schedule: Variable interval (VI) reinforces a response after an average length of time has elapsed. Much like variable ratio, the unpredictability increases student motivation and produces a more even rate of reinforcement as the student cannot predict when the time interval will elapse.

What is a variable schedule of reinforcement?

In operant conditioning, a variable-ratio schedule is a schedule of reinforcement where a response is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses. 1 This schedule creates a steady, high rate of responding. Gambling and lottery games are good examples of a reward based on a variable ratio schedule.

What is fixed interval example?

Fixed Interval Schedules in the Real World A weekly paycheck is a good example of a fixed-interval schedule. The employee receives reinforcement every seven days, which may result in a higher response rate as payday approaches. Dental exams also take place on a fixed-interval schedule.

Are pop quizzes variable interval?

Pop quizzes work on a variable-interval schedule of reinforcement. To get good grades (reinforcement) on pop quizzes, which come at inconsistent and unknown passages of time (variable interval), you must keep up on class work and assignments (behavior).

What does variable schedule mean target?

Variable shifts – also called rotating shifts – are one way employers schedule employees to cover 24 hour a day, 7 days per week operations. Instead of working a traditional eight-hour day, or a four-hour day for part-time workers, employees work longer hours in a day, but fewer days per week.

What is fixed interval?

In operant conditioning, a fixed-interval schedule is a schedule of reinforcement where the first response is rewarded only after a specified amount of time has elapsed.

Is variable ratio the best?

Among the reinforcement schedules, variable ratio is the most productive and the most resistant to extinction. Fixed interval is the least productive and the easiest to extinguish (Figure 1).

Which schedule produces the highest rates of responding?

Variable-ratio schedules
Variable-ratio schedules occur when a response is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses. This schedule creates a high steady rate of responding.

What are fixed ratios?

Fixed ratio is a schedule of reinforcement. In this schedule, reinforcement is delivered after the completion of a number of responses. The required number of responses remains constant. This ratio requirement (number of responses to produce reinforcement) is conceptualized as a response unit.

What is a variable interval in psychology?

what is a variable interval? A variable interval schedule (VI) is a type of operant conditioning reinforcement schedule in which reinforcement is given to a response after specific amount of time has passed (an unpredictable amount of time), but this amount of time is on a changing/variable schedule.

What are variable interval schedules of reinforcement?

Variable interval schedules of reinforcement provide reinforcement after the first response after an average amount of time has passed. This graph depicts the moderate rate of responding typically produced by VI schedules of reinforcement. Reinforcement is delivered at variable times along the data line.

What is the difference between variable ratio and interval?

Variable refers to the number of responses or amount of time between reinforcements, which varies or changes. Interval means the schedule is based on the time between reinforcements, and ratio means the schedule is based on the number of responses between reinforcements.

What is the difference between ratratio and interval schedules?

Ratio schedules – those linked to number of responses – produce higher response rates compared to interval schedules. As well, variable schedules produce more consistent behavior than fixed schedules; unpredictability of reinforcement results in more consistent responses than predictable reinforcement (Myers, 2011).