Final answer:
According to a fixed interval option (a) reinforcement schedule, desired behavior is reinforced after a certain amount of time has passed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is a) Fixed Interval reinforcement schedule. According to a fixed interval reinforcement schedule, desired behavior is reinforced after a set amount of time. For example, in the case of a surgery patient who is given pain medication every hour, the reinforcement occurs on a fixed interval.
In contrast, a variable interval reinforcement schedule provides reinforcement after varying amounts of time, which are unpredictable. A fixed ratio reinforcement schedule requires a set number of responses before the behavior is rewarded, while a variable ratio reinforcement schedule varies the number of responses needed for a reward.