There are four different types of partial reinforcement: fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval and variable interval. They are all similar in what they accomplish. Fixed ratio schedule is when there is a set schedule of answers or responses before a reward is given. An example of each is if a kid were to do three chores a week he would get five dollars after the third chore. Variable ratio schedule is when the number needed to receive a reward floats around a certain percentage. For example, fishing is part of a variable ratio schedule because you never know how many casts it is going to take before you get the fish. Variable ratio schedule usually gives high rates of response. Fixed interval schedule is when there is fixed interval of time between each response before an award is given. A real life example would be a parent waiting to give their kid gas money two weeks in order to help them save gas. Lastly, variable interval schedule is when the time in between the reward varies. An example would be if a parent doesn't tell their kid when their going to check their grades each month. I think that i can use fixed interval schedule in my life. The example of waiting two weeks to fill up with gas would go a long way with me. Since i pay for my gas, i could give my self a couple extra bucks each time i wait two weeks.
Re:
A very good, direct and succinct response. In addition to placing yourself on a fixed interval of reinforcement for getting gas, you also gave yourself a positive reinforcement of a couple of extra bucks. I would be curious about how you would use the gasoline over the course of the two weeks. Do you think you would be more conservative in the consumption of gas during the beginning of the two weeks, during the middle or at the end? What if you were placed on an variable interval and never knew when you would be given money to buy gasoline? Do you think your consumption of gasoline would be different than that on a fixed variable?
The variable ratio is often referred to as the "Las Vegas Effect." This is because gambling is rewarded on an variable ratio with those one armed bandits you find in casinos. You pull the lever but never know if you will be rewarded on the first, third, tenth, firth or twentieth attempt. People will continue to gamble because it could always be the next pull on the lever when they get that big win. Vegas is built on the principles of variable ratios and intervals.
Re:
I think that i would be more conservative closer to the end of the two weeks. Once my gas guage got lower i would start to conserve gas more. That tends to be how i am now and im sure it would be even more so if i was restricted to only filling up every two weeks. If i was on a variable interval schedule i would definitely be conservative the whole time. However i would probably be irritated if i was given gas money after only a couple of days. It makes sense to refer to variable ratio as the Las Vegas Effect. I have experienced the "just one more pull effect" more times than i care to admit.