Final answer:
Schedules of reinforcement define how behaviors are followed by consequences, affecting future behavior. Partial reinforcement involves rewarding the desired behavior only part of the time, and can be either fixed or variable in nature, and based on number of responses or time interval.
Step-by-step explanation:
In psychology, schedules of reinforcement are an important concept in understanding how behaviors are acquired and maintained. Reinforcement schedules are rules that determine when a behavior is followed by a consequence that may affect future behavior.
Partial reinforcement is a type where not every instance of the desired behavior is reinforced, making it different from continuous reinforcement. Partial reinforcement can come in various forms such as fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, and variable interval schedules.
A fixed interval reinforcement schedule rewards behavior after a set amount of time, like prescription pain relief given at set intervals post-surgery. Conversely, a fixed ratio reinforcement schedule is based on a set number of responses before giving a reward, similar to rewarding oneself with a break after completing a certain number of math problems.