Which type of schedules allows not all responses of the same class to be reinforced?

Intermittent schedules are characterized by only some responses being reinforced rather than all responses. This means that reinforcement is delivered for a subset of responses, which can help maintain a behavior over time and create greater persistence in the absence of reinforcement. In practice, this can involve varying intervals of time or the number of responses required before reinforcement is provided, leading to a more efficient use of reinforcement and teaching strategies.

For instance, in an intermittent schedule, a child might receive praise or a reward for appropriate behavior only after every third instance of that behavior, not after every occurrence. This approach can also generate more robust behavior because individuals learn to anticipate reinforcement at unpredictable times, making them more likely to engage in the desired behavior consistently.

Continuous schedules, on the other hand, reinforce every occurrence of a behavior, which is less effective for long-term maintenance of the skill. Fixed schedules provide reinforcement at fixed intervals or after a certain number of responses, which is more structured than intermittent schedules. Simple schedules refer to straightforward conditions for reinforcement without variability in timing or frequency. Each of these alternatives does not allow for the flexibility and unpredictability found in intermittent schedules, which is a key aspect that makes them unique.