Question

At Pomp and Circumstance, a wedding attire and accessories store, the sales team has monthly evaluations, and the top five performers receive bonuses. This is an example of:

a) A fixed interval schedule.

b) A variable interval schedule.

c) Continuous reinforcement.

d) A fixed ratio schedule.

e) A variable ratio schedule.

Answer 1

The monthly bonuses at Pomp and Circumstance for top performers represent a fixed interval schedule, where behavior is rewarded based on consistent and predictable time intervals, different from fixed or variable ratio, or variable interval schedules.

Step-by-step explanation:

The sales team at Pomp and Circumstance receiving bonuses based on monthly evaluations falls under a fixed interval schedule. In a fixed interval reinforcement schedule, behavior is rewarded after a set amount of time, regardless of the number of sales made within that period. Each month's evaluation serves as that set time, making the reward schedule both predictable and time-based.

In contrast, a fixed ratio schedule would depend on a set number of sales to determine the bonus, which is not the case here. Unlike a variable ratio schedule, which has an unpredictable number of responses before rewarding, and a variable interval schedule, where the time between rewards varies, the monthly evaluations provide a consistent and expected timeframe for reinforcement.