Question

George receives a great money-saving credit card offer in the mail, complete with a rewards program. He reads on to find that the one dollar for every mile spent may not be such a great offer after all because he only receives an $500 airline ticket after he acquires 25,000 miles or spends $25,000. This is a _____ schedule.

Answer 1

Fixed ratio schedule

Explanation:

First, there are two different types of reinforcement:

• Positive

• Negative

The positive reinforcement applies a stimulus to increase the frequency of the desirable variable.

The negative reinforcement removes a stimulus to increase the frequency of the desirable variable.

However, the positive reinforcement divides itself in different types:

• Continuous
• Partial

A continuous reinforcement schedule gives us a reinforcement every time we engaged in the desired conduct.

On the other side, the partial reinforcement schedule doesn't give us a reinforcement every time, but also divides itself in

• Ratio
• Interval

And these divide themselves in fixed or variable.

• The fixed ratio schedule gives a reinforcement after a fixed number of desired responses.
• The variable ratio schedule gives a reinforcement after a changing number of desired responses.
• The fixed interval schedule gives a reinforcement after a constant amount of time.
• The variable interval schedule gives a reinforcement after a variable amount of time.

So, in other words, ratio has to do with number of responses while interval has to do with amount of time.

In the example, George receives a reinforcement ($500 airline ticket) after he acquires 25,000 or spends $25,000. Therefore, he will get a reward after a fixed quantity of miles or money spent.

Thus we are talking about a fixed ratio schedule.