Which reinforcement schedule makes behavior more valuable by rewarding it less frequently?

The concept of reinforcement schedules is central to understanding how behaviors are learned and maintained. Intermittent reinforcement is a schedule in which rewards are given after a certain number of responses or after a specific amount of time, but not every time the desired behavior occurs. This unpredictability plays a significant role in behavior maintenance.

When reinforcement is provided less frequently, it tends to increase the subjective value of the behavior being reinforced. This is because individuals often find behaviors that are rewarded sporadically to be more exciting and worthwhile. This can lead to stronger and more persistent behavior patterns since the occasional reward keeps the individual engaged and guessing, increasing motivation to continue the behavior in anticipation of a reward.

In contrast, continuous reinforcement, where the behavior is rewarded every time it occurs, can lead to faster acquisition of the behavior but may not strengthen the behavior as effectively in the long run. Fixed interval and variable ratio schedules also provide rewards, but they do not capture the essence of making the behavior more valuable through reduced frequency as effectively as intermittent reinforcement does. Variable ratio schedules, while they are powerful in maintaining behaviors due to their unpredictability, are just one type of intermittent reinforcement and do not encompass the broader concept as effectively.