On distinguishing progressively increasing response requirements for reinforcement.

Abstract

Several different arrangements have been described for increasing the response requirements for reinforcement using the label progressive-ratio schedule. Under the original progressive-ratio schedule, the response requirement is increased after each reinforcer. Subsequently, arrangements have been used in which the number of required responses increases following multiple reinforcers at a single response requirement or between sessions. Following an assessment of the different types of contingencies that result from such progressive response requirements and the labels used to describe them, a set of descriptive labels is suggested for these different types of progressively increasing response requirements