You Are Watching a Rat Pressing a Lever in a Skinner

question 43

Multiple Choice

You are watching a rat pressing a lever in a Skinner box to obtain food pellets. The rat pauses for a long time after each food pellet is delivered, but slowly increases its rate of lever pressing as more time elapses. In this example, the reinforcement schedule that is in place is MOST likely

• A) a variable-ratio schedule.
• B) a fixed-interval schedule.
• C) a variable-interval schedule.
• D) a fixed-ratio schedule.

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Definitions:

Behavioral Science

The study of human and animal behavior through observation and empirical analysis, encompassing fields such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

Economic Analysis

The systematic approach to determining the optimum use of scarce resources, involving comparison of two or more alternatives in achieving a specific objective.

Poverty

The state of being extremely poor, where individuals or communities lack the financial resources to meet basic living needs.

Marginal Cost

The price of generating one more unit of a product or service.