Which schedule of reinforcement is characterized by varying intervals leading to reinforcement?

The variable-interval schedule of reinforcement is characterized by the delivery of reinforcement after varying amounts of time have passed. This means that the time between reinforcements is not fixed and can change unpredictably. Because of this unpredictability, individuals do not know exactly when the reinforcement will occur, which can lead to a steady rate of response as they continue to engage in the desired behavior in the hope that the next reinforcement will come soon.

For example, if a student knows that their teacher might give surprise rewards for participation at different times, they are likely to stay engaged throughout the class, not knowing when the next reward might come. This leads to a behavior pattern that is resistant to extinction, as the variability in reinforcement schedules tends to maintain a high level of performance over time.

In contrast, fixed-interval schedules provide reinforcement after a set period, leading to a predictable pattern of behavior; partial schedules include varying types of reinforcement but are not specifically bound to time intervals; while continuous schedules reinforce every single instance of the behavior, which can lead to rapid extinction once reinforcement stops.