There is an easy trick to distinguish between VI and VR schedules. First, imagine a FR 25 schedule. If you double your response rate then you will double your reinforcement rate. The same rule applies to a VR 25 schedule. On the other hand, imagine a FI 60 sec schedule. What happens if you double your response rate? The reinforcement rate will remain about constant because the 60-sec rule must be satisfied for either case.
The easy way to distinguish between a VI and a VR reinforcement schedule is to imagine the effect of doubling your response rate. If the reinforcement rate doubles then you are dealing with a VR schedule. If the reinforcement rate remains about constant then you are dealing with a VI schedule. Applying that rule to slot machines and email gives you the following. Doubling the rate at which you enter coins into a slot machine will double the rate at which you receive the consequence, hence a VR schedule. Doubling the rate at which you check your email will not double the number of emails that you receive, hence a VI schedule. Ken On Mon, Jul 6, 2015 at 6:41 PM, Beth Benoit <beth.ben...@gmail.com> wrote: > > I have a video of an interview of Skinner talking about variable ratio > schedules as being well exemplified by slot machines. Wouldn't checking > for messages be the same thing? Sometimes you get one, sometimes you > don't. But not getting one doesn't make you less likely to check. And > *sometimes* getting one makes you more likely to check. > > Beth Benoit > Plymouth State University > Plymouth, New Hampshire > > On Mon, Jul 6, 2015 at 6:35 PM, Michael Britt <mich...@thepsychfiles.com> > wrote: > >> >> >> >> >> Parents know how hard it can be for kids to stay away from their social >> media connections - be it facebook, instagram or Snapchat. As soon as my >> 15-year old gets out of swim practice it’s the first thing he does. After >> all, there might be a message for him. This would be variable interval >> reinforcement if I’m correct - he doesn’t have to actually do anything but >> a new message (reinforcer) might have arrived. >> >> It seems pretty darn powerful, which seems weird because I’ve always >> thought of variable interval reinforcers as weak. Thoughts? >> >> Michael >> >> Michael A. Britt, Ph.D. >> mich...@thepsychfiles.com >> http://www.ThePsychFiles.com >> Twitter: @mbritt >> >> >> >> >> --- >> >> You are currently subscribed to tips as: beth.ben...@gmail.com. >> >> To unsubscribe click here: >> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13105.b9b37cdd198e940b73969ea6ba7aaf72&n=T&l=tips&o=45725 >> >> (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) >> >> or send a blank email to >> leave-45725-13105.b9b37cdd198e940b73969ea6ba7aa...@fsulist.frostburg.edu >> >> >> > --- > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: steel...@appstate.edu. > > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13524.94845a3ed9806f1cef14973830dd8c39&n=T&l=tips&o=45726 > > (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) > > or send a blank email to > leave-45726-13524.94845a3ed9806f1cef14973830dd8...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kenneth M. Steele, Ph.D. steel...@appstate.edu Professor Department of Psychology http://www.psych.appstate.edu Appalachian State University Boone, NC 28608 USA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@mail-archive.com. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=45737 or send a blank email to leave-45737-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
