Reinforcement provided after an unpredictable number of responses is called?

Reinforcement provided after an unpredictable number of responses is called?

• A. Fixed-Ratio Schedule
• B. Echoic
• C. Variable-Ratio Schedule
• D. Tact

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is how reinforcement timing shapes behavior. A reinforcement schedule that delivers reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses is a variable-ratio schedule. In this setup, the exact number of responses needed to obtain the next reward changes each time around, so the individual cannot predict when reinforcement will come. This unpredictability keeps responding high and steady, and it’s very resistant to extinction because reinforcement could occur after any response. To contrast, fixed-ratio schedules reward after a set number of responses (like every fifth response), which often produces bursts of responses followed by brief pauses. The other terms listed aren’t schedules at all; they describe types of verbal operants—echoic is repeating heard words, and tact is labeling what one perceives.

The main idea here is how reinforcement timing shapes behavior. A reinforcement schedule that delivers reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses is a variable-ratio schedule. In this setup, the exact number of responses needed to obtain the next reward changes each time around, so the individual cannot predict when reinforcement will come. This unpredictability keeps responding high and steady, and it’s very resistant to extinction because reinforcement could occur after any response.

To contrast, fixed-ratio schedules reward after a set number of responses (like every fifth response), which often produces bursts of responses followed by brief pauses. The other terms listed aren’t schedules at all; they describe types of verbal operants—echoic is repeating heard words, and tact is labeling what one perceives.