Download Partial Reinforcement Schedules and Exercise

Partial Reinforcement Schedules and Exercise
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: Partial Reinforcement Schedules and Exercise
Pages: 11
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In the 1950's, psychologist B.F Skinner began researching the theory of operant conditioning (Boeree, 1998). This
theory, also known as instrumental learning, is learning based on the consequences of responding (Coon &
Mitterer, 2011, p. 259). The operant conditioning law of effect is the basic principle that "responses that lead to
desirable effects are repeated while those that produce undesirable results are not" (Coon & Mitterer, 2011, p.
259). This principle directly influenced Skinner and his research. Perhaps his most well known experiment, Skinner
placed a rat in what became known as the "Skinner box." In the box, there was a bar that when pushed would
release pellets of food. The story goes that Skinner was running low on food during an experiment when he
discovered the schedules of partial reinforcement. In order to save pellets, Skinner cut back on the amount and
frequency that he fed the rats. Instead of the rats' operant behavior decreasing, it remained stable even with the
change in feeding schedule (Boeree, 1998). This "accident" led Skinner to his discovery of the four schedules of
partial reinforcement: fixed ratio (FR), variable ratio (VR), fixed interval (FI), and variable interval (VI). Skinner
discovered that giving partial reinforcement with these schedules was actually more effective than giving
continuous reinforcement. It is because of this discovery that psychologists are able to better predict and control
behavior and learning. Today, these findings are especially helpful in understanding exercise.
It was not long after Skinner's discoveries that two psychologists, John W. Libb and Carl B. Clements (1969),
performed an experiment aimed at testing the effects of partial reinforcement schedules on exerci...
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