Final answer:
The rat in a Skinner box is on a fixed-ratio schedule, while slot machines operate on a variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement, both of which are effective at maintaining behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
A rat in a Skinner box that receives a food pellet every ten times the bar is pressed is on a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. Slot machines, which reward gamblers with money, also operate on a variable-ratio reinforcement schedule which is considered to be very potent at maintaining behaviors over time due to its unpredictability and the varying number of responses required for a reward. The key to the power of this schedule is that the reinforcement is based on the number of responses, but unlike the fixed-ratio schedule, the number required to receive a reward varies or changes after each reinforcement which maintains a high and steady rate of responding.