What type of reinforcement schedule applies when friends say "I love you" at the end of each phone conversation?

The situation described involves friends expressing affection consistently at the end of each conversation, which aligns with a fixed ratio reinforcement schedule. In this case, the behavior of saying "I love you" occurs every time a specific event (the end of a phone conversation) happens, which establishes a clear and predictable pattern of reinforcement. This regularity means that for every instance of the event (the call), there is a guaranteed response (the "I love you"), thus reinforcing the behavior appropriately.

In a fixed ratio schedule, reinforcement is provided after a set number of responses, or in this case, after every single event, making it straightforward and reliable for participants to expect positive feedback consistently. This structure creates a strong association between the behavior of ending the call and receiving the affection expressed, which reinforces the connection and engagement in the conversation.