Question

​you scan the night sky looking for meteors or comets. They appear at unpredictable times. This is an example of which type of schedule of reinforcement?

Answer 1

Scanning the night sky for unpredictable appearances of meteors or comets represents a variable interval reinforcement schedule, where the reinforcement comes at varying, unpredictable time intervals.

Step-by-step explanation:

Scanning the night sky for meteors or comets that appear at unpredictable times is an example of a variable interval reinforcement schedule. In this type of schedule, reinforcements (in this case, the appearance of meteors or comets) are given after varying and unpredictable intervals of time have passed. Just like Manuel in the fast-food restaurant example who never knows when the quality control person will show up but maintains a consistently clean and efficient operation, sky-watchers maintain a consistent level of vigilance because they can't predict when they'll be rewarded with a sighting.

Answer 2

Answer: Variable-interval schedule.

Schedule of reinforcement is a tactic used in operant conditioning. The objective is to decide how and when a desired behaviour occurs by arranging an interval between reinforcers and responses.

This is an example of a variable-interval schedule, where the reinforcement is dependent on the passage of time but the interval varies in random order.