Which schedule reinforces the first response after a set period, regardless of how many responses occur?

Which schedule reinforces the first response after a set period, regardless of how many responses occur?

• A. Fixed Ratio
• B. Variable Duration
• C. Fixed Interval
• D. Variable Interval

Answer: (C)

Understanding how reinforcement schedules work in operant conditioning, especially fixed-interval schedules. In this pattern, reinforcement is delivered for the first response after a fixed amount of time has passed since the previous reinforcement, regardless of how many responses occur in that interval. For example, with a two-minute fixed interval, the dog must wait up to two minutes, and only the first sit after those two minutes earns a treat; any behavior inside that window isn’t reinforced. When reinforcement occurs, the clock resets and a new interval begins. This produces a pause after receiving reinforcement, then an increasing rate of response as the end of the interval approaches, creating a scalloped pattern. This is distinct from a fixed-ratio schedule (reinforcement after a set number of responses) and a variable-interval schedule (the interval length varies, and reinforcement is earned for the first response after that changing interval). Variable-duration and similar schedules differ in requiring maintenance of a behavior for varying lengths of time, which doesn’t match the condition described here.

Understanding how reinforcement schedules work in operant conditioning, especially fixed-interval schedules. In this pattern, reinforcement is delivered for the first response after a fixed amount of time has passed since the previous reinforcement, regardless of how many responses occur in that interval. For example, with a two-minute fixed interval, the dog must wait up to two minutes, and only the first sit after those two minutes earns a treat; any behavior inside that window isn’t reinforced. When reinforcement occurs, the clock resets and a new interval begins. This produces a pause after receiving reinforcement, then an increasing rate of response as the end of the interval approaches, creating a scalloped pattern. This is distinct from a fixed-ratio schedule (reinforcement after a set number of responses) and a variable-interval schedule (the interval length varies, and reinforcement is earned for the first response after that changing interval). Variable-duration and similar schedules differ in requiring maintenance of a behavior for varying lengths of time, which doesn’t match the condition described here.