Final answer:
The principle describing how behaviors that are reinforced more often are more likely to recur relates to the 'variable ratio reinforcement schedule' in operant conditioning. This schedule produces a high rate of the behavior because the reinforcement is unpredictable, making the behavior highly resistant to extinction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Behaviors that are reinforced more often than others are more likely to occur again in the future. This principle relates to the concept of reinforcement schedules in operant conditioning. The specific variable you're referring to is the variable ratio reinforcement schedule, where the number of responses required for a reward varies. This type of schedule tends to produce a high and steady rate of the desired behavior because it is unpredictable, making the behavior more resistant to extinction.
Operant conditioning relies on the law of effect, where behaviors followed by positive consequences are likely to be repeated. A variable ratio schedule is an effective form of intermittent reinforcement. For example, gambling is often cited as a behavior reinforced under a variable ratio schedule, where the next win is unpredictable, thereby maintaining the gambling behavior even in the absence of consistent rewards.