Reinforcement that occurs after a fixed number of responses has been emitted is called which schedule?

• A. Fixed-Interval Schedule
• B. Variable-Interval Schedule
• C. Fixed-Ratio Schedule
• D. Variable-Ratio Schedule

Answer: (C)

Reinforcement that depends on the number of responses is a fixed-ratio schedule. Here, reinforcement is delivered after a set, unchanging number of responses—for example, after every 5th or 10th response. This tends to produce a high rate of responding with a brief pause after each reinforcement, and those pauses lengthen as the required number of responses increases.

If reinforcement were based on time rather than responses, it would be a fixed-interval schedule; if it varied the number of responses or the time, it would be variable-ratio or variable-interval, respectively. The scenario described matches a fixed-ratio pattern.