Partial Schedules of Reinforcement

After about 6 days of training Ruby on a continuous reinforcement schedule of Fixed Ratio 1 (every time Ruby would press the bar she would receive a reinforcement) I put Ruby on a partial reinforcement schedule of Fixed Ratio 2, which means that Ruby will receive a reinforcement every 2 times she presses the bar. Although continous reinforcement is best for shaping a behavior quickly, partial reinforcement schedules strengthen resistance to extinction.

Goal: To switch Ruby from a FR1 schedule of reinforcement to other partial reinforcement schedules (FR 2, 3, 4) in order to strengthen her resistance to extinction

Procedure: The procedure for the partial schedules of reinforcement is basically the same as FR 1. The difference simply being a different option to select on the computer program for each schedule of partial reinforcement. I will begin Ruby on and FR2 to schedule a reinforcement and continue to stay on that schedule of reinforcement until Ruby has received at least 60 reinforcements for that day. Once Ruby has reached 60 reinforcements I will go on to a FR3.

FR 2 Days 1 and 2
Ruby appeared to be frustrated and confused once she was put on FR2 schedule of reinforcement. The first day of FR2 training involved Ruby pressing The bar and looking into the food magazine more frequently. Ruby would often press the bar a couple of times and then check the magazine, but today she checked the magazine almost every time she pressed the bar. There were a few times that we wouldn't receive a reinforcement for pressing the bar and she would go into the front left corner. I like furring to it as her "thinking corner" because she tends to go there when something in the training is frustrating her. It's almost as if she is contemplating her next move. Ruby was super close to receiving 60 reinforcements (112 bar presses), but I decided to keep her on FR2 for one more day to ensure she gets at least 60 reinforcements. On the second day of FR2, Ruby appeared to be becoming more accustomed to the FR2 schedule and received well over 60 reinforcements (107 to be exact).

First Day of  FR2

Cumulative Record  of FR2 Day 1

FR  3 Day 1
Today I switched Ruby's schedule of reinforcement from an FR2 to an FR 3, meaning that Ruby will now recieve a reinforcement every 3rd time she presses the bar. Ruby's behavior was similar today to her behavior on the first day of FR2. She seemed confused and frustrated at first but gradually became more comfortable with the pattern of reinforcement