You Are Watching a Pigeon Pecking a Key for Food

question 298

Multiple Choice

You are watching a pigeon pecking a key for food reinforcement.The pigeon pecks the key at a very high, steady rate and does not stop, even when the food is delivered.Based on what is known about the pattern of responding produced by various schedules of reinforcement, you should conclude that the reinforcement schedule that is in place for this pigeon is a:

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

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Definitions:

Alpha Waves

Brain waves that indicate a state of relaxation or light sleep.

Beta Waves

Smaller and faster brain waves, typically indicating mental activity.

Sleep Spindles

Brief bursts of brain activity that occur during stage 2 of the sleep cycle, thought to be important for learning and memory.

Delta Waves

Slow brain waves that are characteristic of deep sleep and are associated with healing, regeneration, and non-REM sleep.