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Example of Fixed Interval Reinforcement: Patient-Controlled Painkiller
A clinical application of a fixed interval schedule is a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump for pain management. A patient can press a button for medication, but the device only dispenses the drug at set intervals, like once per hour. This prevents overuse, as repeated presses before the interval ends yield no reinforcement. This example also illustrates rapid extinction; because the patient is on a fixed schedule, the behavior of pressing the button will quickly diminish if reinforcement (pain relief) does not occur at the expected time.
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Example of Fixed Interval Reinforcement: Patient-Controlled Painkiller
Comparison of Reinforcement Schedules by Productivity and Extinction Resistance
Graphical Representation of Reinforcement Schedules
A bakery offers a free coffee to customers every Tuesday morning with any purchase. The owner notices that the bakery is busiest on Tuesday mornings, but sales are significantly lower on other days of the week. This pattern of customer behavior, where purchasing increases dramatically just before the reward is available, is characteristic of which reinforcement schedule?