Question

you call a friend on the phone and repeatedly get sent to voicemail, so you continue to call her every \\(5 - 20\\) minutes hoping to speak to her personally. which reinforcement schedule is this?

fixed ratio
fixed interval
variable ratio
variable interval

Explanation:

Identify the behavior and reinforcement

Using the Schedules of Reinforcement knowledge point, we identify the target behavior as calling a friend on the phone, and the reinforcement as successfully speaking to her personally.

Analyze the schedule type

Using the Fixed Interval Schedule knowledge point, we evaluate whether the reinforcement is based on a set number of responses (ratio) or the passage of time (interval). Because the reinforcement (speaking to the friend) depends on when she becomes available over time, this is an interval schedule. Since the time between calls varies unpredictably between \(5 - 20\) minutes, the interval is not constant. Therefore, it is a variable interval schedule.

Answer:

• fixed ratio
• fixed interval
• variable ratio
• variable interval (Correct answer)