Final answer:
In operant conditioning, continuous reinforcement schedules lead to rapid extinction once reinforcement stops, while intermittent reinforcement, especially variable ratio schedules, make behaviors more resistant to extinction.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the field of operant conditioning, reinforcement schedules play a crucial role in how quickly a behavior is learned and the speed at which extinction occurs after reinforcement is discontinued. When a behavior is reinforced continuously, every time it occurs, extinction tends to happen quickly once the reinforcement stops. This scenario reflects the continuous reinforcement schedule, which is excellent for establishing a new behavior rapidly.
In contrast, intermittent reinforcement, which includes both fixed and variable schedules, tends to make a behavior more resistant to extinction. A fixed interval reinforcement schedule means that behavior is rewarded after a set amount of time. For example, a patient may receive pain medication hourly, so if the expected reward doesn't come, they quickly stop performing the associated behavior, leading to a rapid extinction.
Conversely, a variable ratio reinforcement schedule is where the behavior is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses, leading to a high and steady rate of response because the reinforcement could theoretically come at any time. This schedule is similar to gambling, where the unpredictability of winning keeps behavior persistent despite long periods without reinforcement. Therefore, variable ratio schedules foster high rates of response and are the most resistant to extinction.