medium · MCAT psych-soc
A hunter sits in a blind waiting for a deer to pass by. The appearance of a deer is completely unpredictable, but on average, one passes every 4 hours.
Which schedule is this, and how does it affect the hunter's persistence compared to a hunter who knows deer pass exactly at 6 AM and 6 PM?
- Fixed-interval; it produces a 'scallop' where the hunter only looks at 4-hour marks.
- Fixed-ratio; it produces a post-reinforcement pause after a deer is spotted.
- Variable-interval; it produces more persistent waiting that is harder to extinguish.
- Variable-ratio; it produces a higher rate of checking the horizon.
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