Question

Erry and his brother Joe both work in manufacturing plants, but Jerry receives a regular paycheck, whereas Joe is paid based on the number of items he produces. The difference between the way Jerry gets paid and the way Joe gets paid is the difference between __________ schedules.

Multiple Choice:
a) Variable interval and fixed ratio
b) Fixed interval and variable ratio
c) Variable interval and variable ratio
d) Variable interval and continuous
e) Fixed interval and fixed ratio

Answer 1

The difference between Jerry's and Joe's payment methods is the difference between fixed interval and variable ratio reinforcement schedules.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference between the way Jerry gets paid and the way Joe gets paid is the difference between fixed interval and variable ratio schedules. In Jerry's case, he receives a regular paycheck after a set amount of time, regardless of how many items he produces, which aligns with a fixed interval schedule. Conversely, Joe is paid based on the number of items he produces; therefore, the number of responses (or products made) before he is rewarded varies, which is characteristic of a variable ratio schedule.