Final answer:
The described scenario is a chain schedule of reinforcement, where multiple basic schedules requiring successive completion, each linked to specific stimuli, with one or more behaviors involved.
Step-by-step explanation:
The compound schedule being described is known as a chain schedule of reinforcement. This complex form of reinforcement schedule is used in behavioral psychology. In a chain schedule, there are multiple basic schedules that are followed successively, each linked to a specific stimulus or discriminative stimulus (SD). Each independent schedule in the sequence is completed before moving on to the next. The behavior must occur in a specific order correlated with each SD, which can involve one or more behaviors. Chain schedules are seen as combining elements of both multiple and concurrent schedules.
An example of a chain schedule is when an animal is taught to press a lever, then peck a disk, and finally, stand on a platform before receiving a reward. Each action is associated with a different SD, and the order of actions must be followed precisely to attain the reinforcement.
This type of schedule is distinct from simpler reinforcement schedules, such as a fixed interval reinforcement schedule where behavior is rewarded after a set amount of time, or a fixed ratio reinforcement schedule in which a set number of responses must occur before a behavior is rewarded. Chain schedules are often utilized in higher-order conditioning scenarios.