Question

A _____ schedule in operant conditioning rewards behaviors an average number of times on an unpredictable basis.

Answer 1

This is a variable-ratio schedule. With this schedule, either positive or negative reinforcement is delivered according to the behaviors being conditioned, but the schedule is not fixed. There is not a set number of times the behavior will be rewarded (or punished), and the rate at which the reinforcement occurs is not fixed, either. There may be consecutive reinforcements, then a large gap between the next reinforcement event.