Question

Giving positive reinforcement intermittently at a variable schedule is the best way to prevent:

A. Discrimination
B. Generalization
C. Extinction
D. Respondent conditioning
E. Transference

Answer 1

Intermittent reinforcement on a variable schedule is most effective at preventing the extinction of a conditioned response because the unpredictability of the reinforcement makes the learned behavior more resistant to cessation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Giving positive reinforcement intermittently at a variable schedule is the best way to prevent extinction. This is because with a variable ratio reinforcement schedule, the reinforcement is given after an unpredictable number of responses, which makes the behavior more resistant to extinction compared to continuous reinforcement where a behavior is rewarded every time it occurs. Extinction is a decrease in the conditioned response when the reinforcing stimulus is no longer paired with the conditioned stimulus, and intermittent reinforcement – especially with a variable schedule – is considered to be the most effective at preventing this from occurring.By using a variable reinforcement schedule, the behavior is reinforced unpredictably, making it more resistant to extinction.