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Principles of Behavior Sixth Edition

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Title: Principles of Behavior Sixth Edition


1
Principles of BehaviorSixth Edition
Richard W. Malott Western Michigan University
Power Point by Nikki Hoffmeister
2
Chapter 17
Ratio Schedules
3
What is a Schedule of Reinforcement?
  • Schedule of Reinforcement
  • The way reinforcement occurs
  • because of the number of responses,
  • time between responses,
  • and stimulus conditions.

4
What is Continuous Reinforcement?
  • Continuous Reinforcement (CRF)
  • A reinforcer follows each response.
  • Intermittent Reinforcement
  • Reinforcement occurs, but not after each
    response.

5
When should you use CRF?
  • Continuous reinforcement is usually best for
    shaping or maintaining difficult behavior.
  • Shaping vocal responses

6
What is a Fixed-Ratio Schedule?
  • Fixed-Ratio (FR) Schedule of Reinforcement
  • A reinforcer follows
  • a fixed number of responses.

7
What kind of responding does a fixed-ratio
schedule produce?
  • Fixed-Ratio Responding
  • After a response is reinforced,
  • no responding occurs for a period of time,
  • then responding occurs at a high, steady rate
  • until the next reinforcer is delivered.

8
Non-Cumulative Graph
9
Non-Cumulative Graph
  • The horizontal line (x-axis) indicates the
    passage of time
  • Each vertical line indicates a response
  • At the end of each ratio of 8 responses a
    reinforcer is delivered (indicated by star)
  • After each star, the line is flat, indicating no
    response occurs for a while
  • Post-reinforcement pause

10
Post-Reinforcement Pause
  • Characteristic of fixed-ratio-maintained behavior
  • The length of the pause is proportional to the
    size of the ratio

11
High Ratios
  • If you wish to establish a high ratio
    requirement,
  • you need to do so gradually,
  • raising the ratio from 2 to 4 to 6 responses and
    up.
  • Otherwise the response may extinguish.

12
What is the general rule for establishing
intermittently reinforced behavior?
  • First, use continuous reinforcement
  • and gradually increase the intermittency of
    reinforcement
  • as responding stabilizes at a high rate.

13
The Cumulative Graph
14
Cumulative Graph
  • Behavior analysts often use this type of graph
    when studying schedules of reinforcement.
  • The vertical axis (ordinate) is labeled
    cumulative frequency of responses as opposed to a
    non-cumulative graph in which the ordinate is
    labeled responses.
  • The post-reinforcement pause is where the slope
    of the line is zero.

15
What is a Variable Ratio Schedule?
  • Variable-Ratio (VR) Schedule of Reinforcement
  • A reinforcer follows
  • after a variable number of responses.

16
What type of responding does a VR schedule
produce?
  • Variable-Ratio Responding
  • Variable-ratio schedules produce
  • a high rate of responding,
  • with almost no post-reinforcement pausing.

17
VR Schedules
  • VR 50
  • This means that a reinforcer is delivered after
    an average of 50 responses
  • An FR 50 means the reinforcer is delivered after
    exactly 50 responses
  • Intermittent Reinforcement
  • Generic term that includes both fixed and
    variable ratio schedules

18
Reinforcer vs. Reinforcement
  • What is a specific pellet of food for a deprived
    rat?
  • A reinforcer
  • Reinforcement
  • The immediate delivery of a pellet contingent on
    a deprived rats lever press with a resulting
    increased rate of pressing?
  • Reinforcer
  • Reinforcement

19
Reinforcer vs. Reinforcement
  • What is a quarter for a deprived professor?
  • Reinforcer
  • Reinforcement
  • What is the immediate delivery of a quarter,
    contingent on a deprived profs pleading for a
    raise, with a resulting increased rate of
    pleading?
  • Reinforcer
  • Reinforcement

20
Ratio Schedules in Everyday Life
  • Are slot machines in casinos examples of everyday
    VR schedules?
  • No there are 5 reasons why

21
4 Reasons Why Slot Machines are Not VR Schedules
  • Its loaded with learned reinforcers in addition
    to the silver dollars
  • Like those fruits that appear in the window, one
    after the other
  • You get 2 cherries in a rowa big reinforcer

22
4 Reasons Why Slot Machines are Not VR Schedules
  • The variable amount of the reinforcer you get at
    the end of the so-called VR
  • Sometimes you get only one silver dollar
  • Sometimes its 10, 18, so on
  • None of thats like the ratios the behavior
    analysts study in the Skinner box

23
4 Reasons Why Slot Machines are Not VR Schedules
  • The size of the ratio is much smaller than is
    typical in the Skinner box of the professional
    research lab
  • Like a VR 100
  • In a casino, people would not play if machines
    had ratios of 100

24
4 Reasons Why Slot Machines are Not VR Schedules
  • The emotional reaction is itself reinforcing
  • Near misses are reinforcing

25
Intermediate Enrichment
  • Free-operant procedures
  • Most Skinner-box research involves free-operant
    responding
  • The animal is free to respond at various
    frequencies (1 lever press per minute to 100
    lever presses per minute)
  • There is no S? after each response, so there is
    no inter-trial interval between each response and
    the next SD

26
Discrete-Trial Procedure
  • There is an SD,
  • a single response,
  • and an outcome,
  • followed by an S? (intertrial interval)
  • then the next trial starts.

27
In the ClassroomDiscrete-Trial Procedure
  • SD Sue says, Jimmy point to the horse.
  • Response Jimmy points to the horse.
  • Outcome Sue says, Good boy, Jimmy. (a learned
    reinforcer for Jimmy)
  • S? (Inter-trial Interval) Sue says nothing

28
In the ClassroomFree-Operant Procedure
  • SD Sue and Jimmy at the snack table.
  • Response 1 Jimmy says, Juice please.
  • Outcome Sue gives him a sip of juice.
  • Response 2 Jimmy says, Juice, please.
  • Outcome Again, Sue gives him a sip of juice.
  • S? Sue and Jimmy leave the snack table.

29
Discrete Trial vs. Free Operant
Discrete Trial Free Operant
Is there an SD and an S?? Yes Sometimes
Is there an inter-trial interval? Yes Usually not
The measure is Latency or accuracy Rate
30
Advanced Enrichment
  • Hybrid Discrete-Trial/Free-Operant Procedure
  • Each free-operant response, itself, consists of a
    discrete trial.

31
Example
  • Sue and Jimmy are in the structured-play area
  • Response 1 Jimmy picks up a piece of the puzzle
    and puts it in the puzzle form
  • Response 2 Jimmy picks up a 2nd piece and puts
    it in the puzzle form
  • Response 3 Jimmy picks up a 3rd, final piece,
    and puts it in the form
  • Outcome Jimmy has completed the puzzle and sees
    a picture of Barney. Sue says, Good job.

32
Why Hybrid?
  • This is an example of a discrete trial, because
    each piece Jimmy puts in the puzzle is an SD for
    the next response.
  • It is also an example of free operant because
    Jimmy is free to place each puzzle piece as fast
    as he wants, and
  • A measure of his behavior would be a rate measure
    (e.g., 8 pieces per minute).

33
On DickMalott.com
  • Chapter 17 Advanced Enrichment Section
  • In Search of the Everyday Variable Ratio

34
Join us for Chapter 18Interval Schedules
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