Which concept describes the patterns of frequency and timing of reinforcement following desired behavior?

Which concept describes the patterns of frequency and timing of reinforcement following desired behavior?

• A. Positive reinforcement
• B. Schedules of reinforcement
• C. Shaping
• D. Extinction

Answer: (B)

Reinforcement schedules describe the patterns of frequency and timing of reinforcement after a desired behavior. They specify when and how often rewards are given, such as rewarding after a certain number of responses or after variable time intervals. These patterns influence how reliably and how long the behavior is demonstrated; partial reinforcement often makes a behavior more resistant to extinction than rewarding every time. The other options describe different ideas: positive reinforcement is about adding a rewarding consequence to increase behavior, shaping is a method of teaching by reinforcing successive approximations toward a target behavior, and extinction is the withdrawal of reinforcement to reduce or eliminate a behavior.

Reinforcement schedules describe the patterns of frequency and timing of reinforcement after a desired behavior. They specify when and how often rewards are given, such as rewarding after a certain number of responses or after variable time intervals. These patterns influence how reliably and how long the behavior is demonstrated; partial reinforcement often makes a behavior more resistant to extinction than rewarding every time. The other options describe different ideas: positive reinforcement is about adding a rewarding consequence to increase behavior, shaping is a method of teaching by reinforcing successive approximations toward a target behavior, and extinction is the withdrawal of reinforcement to reduce or eliminate a behavior.