Math help? Concurrent schedules of reinforcement

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In summary, the quotient in concurrent schedules of reinforcement is used to determine the relative preference for one response option over another based on the rate of response.
  • #1
RabbitWho
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In concurrent schedules of reinforcement [a mouse has a choice between pressing a button to get sugar or pressing it to get cheese], the choice or preference between the two alternative response is calculated by the relative rate of response and is represented by the quotient:

Ra
___
Ra + Rb

Where Ra and Rb represent the rate of response in option a and option b, respectively.
[I guess they mean option a is pressing the sugar and b is the cheese]

~~~~~~
Does this make sense to anyone? I don't understand why you divide those things into each other or what sort of use the answer you get could possibly be.

Let's say he presses the button for sugar 5 times and for cheese twice

5/(5 + 2)
=0.7

Ok now he presses the button for sugar twice and for cheese 5 times.
2/(2+5)
=0.1

What the goose use is that to anyone!?

Is there something missing? Should it say something like "anything over .5 means a is preferred and anything under .5 means b is preffered? Would that make sense?

Maybe it's just so obvious they can't be bothered to mention it .

I translated this, here's the original, in case i messed up:
Volviendo a los programas concurrentes, la elección o preferencia entre las alternativas de respuesta se
calcula por la tasa relativa de respuesta y se representa por el cociente:
Donde Ra y Rb representan, respectivamente, la tasa de respuesta en la alternativa a y la tasa de respuesta
en la alternativa b.
 
Last edited:
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  • #2

I can understand your confusion with this forum post. It is not very clear and seems to be missing some important information. Let me try to explain it in a more detailed and understandable way.

In concurrent schedules of reinforcement, an animal (in this case, a mouse) is given a choice between two responses (pressing a button for sugar or pressing it for cheese). The preference for one option over the other is determined by the relative rate of response, meaning how often the animal engages in each response. This is represented by the quotient (the result of dividing one number by another) of Ra and Rb.

Ra represents the rate of response for option a (pressing for sugar) and Rb represents the rate of response for option b (pressing for cheese). So, the quotient is calculated by dividing the rate of response for option a by the total rate of response for both options (Ra + Rb).

Let's look at your example. If the mouse presses the button for sugar 5 times and for cheese twice, the quotient would be:

Ra = 5
Rb = 2
Ra + Rb = 5 + 2 = 7
Quotient = 5/7 = 0.71

This means that 71% of the time, the mouse is choosing the sugar over the cheese. In your second example, if the mouse presses the button for sugar twice and for cheese 5 times, the quotient would be:

Ra = 2
Rb = 5
Ra + Rb = 2 + 5 = 7
Quotient = 2/7 = 0.29

This means that 29% of the time, the mouse is choosing the cheese over the sugar. So, the higher the quotient, the more preferred option a (sugar) is, and the lower the quotient, the more preferred option b (cheese) is.

I hope this helps to clarify the concept of concurrent schedules of reinforcement and how the quotient is used to represent the preference for one option over the other. It is not mentioned in the forum post, but typically a quotient of 0.5 or above is considered a preference for option a, and a quotient below 0.5 is a preference for option b. However, this can vary depending on the specific study or experiment.
 

FAQ: Math help? Concurrent schedules of reinforcement

What is a concurrent schedule of reinforcement?

A concurrent schedule of reinforcement is a type of reinforcement schedule in which two or more schedules of reinforcement are available at the same time. This means that a behavior can be reinforced by more than one consequence, and the individual can choose which behavior to engage in based on the reinforcement available.

How is a concurrent schedule of reinforcement different from other reinforcement schedules?

Unlike other reinforcement schedules, a concurrent schedule allows for multiple reinforcers to be available at the same time. In other schedules, there is only one type of reinforcement available for a behavior, whereas in a concurrent schedule, there can be multiple types of reinforcement.

What are the benefits of using a concurrent schedule of reinforcement?

Concurrent schedules of reinforcement can be beneficial in promoting and maintaining a behavior. It allows for more options and flexibility in reinforcement, which can lead to increased motivation and engagement in the behavior. Additionally, it can help prevent satiation (when a reinforcer loses its effectiveness) since there are multiple options available.

How do you set up a concurrent schedule of reinforcement?

To set up a concurrent schedule of reinforcement, you first need to identify the behaviors that you want to reinforce. Then, you need to determine the different schedules of reinforcement you will use for each behavior. For example, one behavior may be reinforced on a fixed ratio schedule while another behavior is reinforced on a variable interval schedule. Finally, you need to make sure that both schedules of reinforcement are available at the same time to create a concurrent schedule.

What are some examples of concurrent schedules of reinforcement?

One common example of a concurrent schedule of reinforcement is a token economy system, where individuals can earn tokens for engaging in desired behaviors and then exchange those tokens for a variety of reinforcers. Another example is a student being able to choose between completing an assignment (reinforced on a fixed ratio schedule) or participating in a classroom discussion (reinforced on a variable interval schedule) during a class period.

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