To summarize: A variable -ratio- reinforcement schedule typically maintains a large number of responses at a high rate of response. There is a correspondence between the frequency of response and the frequency of reinforcement. A variable -interval- schedule, on the other hand, does not have any pay off for a high rate of response; one above the minimum needed to receive the number of reinforcers specified by the schedule. So the rate of responding is much lower than that maintained by a ratio schedule. However, due to the unpredictability of a specific response being reinforced, responding is very persistent — resistance to extinction is quite high, consistent with Michael’s observation of his son’s behavior of checking his messages (he is doing -something-, although the response cost is quite low).
So VI schedule reinforcement is weak if measured by rate or number of responses, but strong if measured by resistance to extinction. On Jul 6, 2015, at 5:41 PM, Beth Benoit <[email protected]> wrote: > I have a video of an interview of Skinner talking about variable ratio > schedules as being well exemplified by slot machines. Wouldn't checking for > messages be the same thing? Sometimes you get one, sometimes you don't. But > not getting one doesn't make you less likely to check. And sometimes getting > one makes you more likely to check. > > Beth Benoit > Plymouth State University > Plymouth, New Hampshire > > On Mon, Jul 6, 2015 at 6:35 PM, Michael Britt <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Parents know how hard it can be for kids to stay away from their social media > connections - be it facebook, instagram or Snapchat. As soon as my 15-year > old gets out of swim practice it’s the first thing he does. After all, there > might be a message for him. This would be variable interval reinforcement if > I’m correct - he doesn’t have to actually do anything but a new message > (reinforcer) might have arrived. > > It seems pretty darn powerful, which seems weird because I’ve always thought > of variable interval reinforcers as weak. Thoughts? > > Michael > > Michael A. Britt, Ph.D. > [email protected] > http://www.ThePsychFiles.com > Twitter: @mbritt > Paul Brandon 10 Crown Hill Lane Mankato, MN 56001 [email protected] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=45728 or send a blank email to leave-45728-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
