Examples of a Fixed-Interval Schedule

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsExamples of a Fixed-Interval ScheduleDefinitionHow Does a Fixed-Interval Schedule Work?Characteristics

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Examples of a Fixed-Interval Schedule

Definition

How Does a Fixed-Interval Schedule Work?

Characteristics

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In operant conditioning, a fixed-interval schedule is aschedule of reinforcementwhere the first response is rewarded only after a specified amount of time has elapsed. This schedule causes high amounts of responding near the end of the interval but much slower responding immediately after the delivery of the reinforcer.

Examples of a fixed-interval schedule include getting a weekly paycheck, getting an annual performance review, and giving a quiz every Friday morning.

At a GlanceIn a fixed-interval schedule, reinforcement is given only after a certain amount of time has passed. This can have an impact on both the strength and rate of the response. Knowing how to best use this type of schedule can help you decide whether it is right for your specific needs.

At a Glance

In a fixed-interval schedule, reinforcement is given only after a certain amount of time has passed. This can have an impact on both the strength and rate of the response. Knowing how to best use this type of schedule can help you decide whether it is right for your specific needs.

It can be helpful to look at a few different examples of the fixed-interval schedule in order to better understand how this reinforcement schedule works and what impact it might have on behavior.

Fixed Interval Schedules in a Lab Setting

Imagine that you are training a rat to press a lever, but you only reinforce the first response after a ten-minute interval. The rat does not press the bar much during the first five minutes after reinforcement but begins to press the lever more and more often the closer you get to the ten-minute mark.

Fixed Interval Schedules in the Real World

A weekly paycheck is a good example of a fixed-interval schedule. The employee receives reinforcement every seven days, which may result in a higher response rate as payday approaches.

Dental exams also take place on a fixed-interval schedule. People who go in for their regular six-month checkup and cleaning often take extra care to clean their teeth right before the exam, yet they may not be as diligent on a day-to-day basis during the six months prior to the exam.

The Fixed-Interval Schedule in Operant Conditioning

As you may remember,operant conditioningrelies on eitherreinforcementorpunishmentto strengthen or weaken a response.This process of learning involves forming an association with behavior and the consequences of that behavior.

It was noted psychologistB.F. Skinnerwho first described this operant conditioning process. By reinforcing actions, he observed, those actions became stronger. When punishing behaviors, however, those actions become weakened.

In addition to this basic process, he also noted that the rate at which behaviors were either reinforced or punished also played a role in how quickly a response was received and the strength of that response.

For example, imagine that you are training a pigeon to peck at a key. You put the animal on a fixed-interval 30 schedule (FI-30), meaning the bird will receive a food pellet every 30 seconds.

The pigeon can continue to peck the key during that interval. However, it will only receive reinforcement for the first peck of the key after that fixed 30-second interval has elapsed.

Characteristics of a Fixed-Interval Schedule

There are a few characteristics of the fixed-interval schedule that make it distinctive. Some of these can be seen as benefits, while some might be considered drawbacks.

The big problem with this type of schedule is that the behavior tends to occur only right before the reinforcement is delivered.

The response rate in a fixed-interval reinforcement schedule is fairly predictable; it increases as the reinforcement time arrives and then drops off precipitously immediately after reinforcement.

For example, if a student knows that there will be an exam every Friday, he might only begin studying on Thursday night. If a child knows she gets her allowance on Sunday as long as her bedroom is clean, she probably won’t clean up her room until Saturday night.

A fixed-interval schedule can also have a negative impact on motivation over time. Because the reinforcement becomes so predictable, it may have a less rewarding effect.

What This Means For You

If you are planning to utilize some sort of reinforcement schedule to teach a behavior, it is important to consider how the fixed-interval schedule might influence the speed of learning as well as the rate of response.

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Overskeid G.Do we need the environment to explain operant behavior?.Front Psychol. 2018;9:373. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00373Sproatt D, Navab A.Operant conditioning. In: Volkmar FR, ed.Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders.New York, N: Springer; 2013.Watson ST, Griffes C.Fixed interval schedule. In: Goldstein S, Naglieri JA, eds.Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Boston, MA: Springer; 2011.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Overskeid G.Do we need the environment to explain operant behavior?.Front Psychol. 2018;9:373. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00373Sproatt D, Navab A.Operant conditioning. In: Volkmar FR, ed.Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders.New York, N: Springer; 2013.Watson ST, Griffes C.Fixed interval schedule. In: Goldstein S, Naglieri JA, eds.Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Boston, MA: Springer; 2011.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Overskeid G.Do we need the environment to explain operant behavior?.Front Psychol. 2018;9:373. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00373Sproatt D, Navab A.Operant conditioning. In: Volkmar FR, ed.Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders.New York, N: Springer; 2013.Watson ST, Griffes C.Fixed interval schedule. In: Goldstein S, Naglieri JA, eds.Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Boston, MA: Springer; 2011.

Overskeid G.Do we need the environment to explain operant behavior?.Front Psychol. 2018;9:373. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00373

Sproatt D, Navab A.Operant conditioning. In: Volkmar FR, ed.Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders.New York, N: Springer; 2013.

Watson ST, Griffes C.Fixed interval schedule. In: Goldstein S, Naglieri JA, eds.Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Boston, MA: Springer; 2011.

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