What does intermittent reinforcement involve?

Intermittent reinforcement involves reinforcing only some occurrences of a behavior rather than every instance of it. This approach is significant in behavioral psychology because it can lead to more robust learning and increase persistence in the behavior. When a behavior is reinforced intermittently, it creates an unpredictability that can make the behavior more resistant to extinction, as the individual continues to respond in hopes of receiving a reward at some point.

The effectiveness of intermittent reinforcement is evident in various scenarios, such as in gambling, where the payoff happens unpredictably. This unpredictability can result in increased efforts to engage in the behavior, as the occasional reward reinforces the behavior even when it is not regularly granted.

In contrast, reinforcing all occurrences of a behavior represents continuous reinforcement, which can lead to quicker acquisition of a behavior but might make it more susceptible to extinction once the reinforcer is removed. Providing the same reinforcer consistently does not capture the essence of intermittent schedules, which vary the conditions under which reinforcers are rewarded. Finally, eliminating reinforcers altogether would decrease the behavior rather than encouraging it, which is contrary to the concept of reinforcement.