Interval programs in learning psychology: how do they work?

This type of reinforcement program can be very useful in learning processes and in therapy.

Within the Psychology of Learning, we find behavior therapy, which tries to modify maladaptive behavior patterns by applying the principles of behavioral therapy.which tries to modify maladaptive behavior patterns by applying the principles of learning.

To this end, psychologists manipulate environmental rewards and punishments. They rely on a series of behavior modification programs aimed at establishing, increasing, reducing and eliminating behaviors.

More specifically, reinforcement programs aim to increase the probability of occurrence of one or more behaviors. Among these we find interval programs, which we will see below.

Continuous and intermittent reinforcement programs

It is necessary to differentiate, within reinforcement programs, two general types of programs, which, as we will see later, encompass others.

On the one hand, there are continuous reinforcement programs, in which the behavior is reinforced whenever it appears. On the other hand, we have intermittent reinforcement programs: the emission of the operant behavior is not always followed by the reinforcing stimulus, i.e., it is sometimes reinforced by a reinforcing stimulus.that is, sometimes it is reinforced and sometimes it is not.

Thus, within intermittent reinforcement programs, we can distinguish several types.

There are the ratio programs, in which the reinforcement criterion is the number of times that the behavior we want to promote has appeared.

Different from the previous ones are the interval programs, in which the criterion of reinforcement is the time the reinforcement criterion is the time elapsed since the last reinforcer was presented..

Finally, there are the rate schedules: the reinforcement criterion is the time that has elapsed since the last response.

Characteristics of interval programs

As mentioned above, in this type of program, reinforcement depends not only on the emission of the response but also on the elapse of a certain time since the presentation of the last reinforcer. Thus, the responses produced during the interval between the reinforcers do not trigger the presentation of the reinforcing stimulus..

We must not forget that the reinforcer is not presented only by the passage of time, but that it is also necessary for the subject to emit the response. The end of the interval determines when the reinforcer is available, not when it is delivered.

Increasing the interval time decreases the overall response rate. (both in fixed and variable programs), as is the case with ratio programs.

Types of interval programs

There are two types of interval programs: Fixed Interval (FI) and Variable Interval (VI).. In the fixed ones, the interval is always the same amount of time. In the variable ones, on the other hand, this amount of time can change.

Thus, for example, whenever the child manages to spend a set amount of time studying, he/she will receive a reinforcement (it is essential that the time be effective and that he/she is not doing or thinking about something else) (fixed interval).

In the variable interval, and continuing with the previous example, the procedure is more efficientIn the variable interval, and continuing with the previous example, the procedure is more effective, because the child does not know when the reinforcement is going to occur, and this forces him to act correctly in a permanent way. The advantage is that when the schedule is terminated, extinction of the desired behavior occurs slowly, i.e., the desired behavior lasts longer in time.

On the other hand, once the interval is over and the reinforcer is available, it can remain so until the response is emitted in an unlimited way (simple interval programs) or only for a certain amount of time (limited waiting interval programs), the latter being more common in the natural environment.

Differences between fixed and variable interval programs

Response rates vary according to whether the program is fixed or variable; thus, in variable programs, response rates are higher than in fixed programs..

On the other hand, fixed-interval programs involve the development of a scalloped response pattern, which means that post-reinforcement pauses appear and with them there is an increase in the response rate as time passes and the availability of the reinforcer becomes closer.

Post-reinforcement pauses are pauses that appear after the reinforcer has been given.. The duration of these pauses is greater when the value of the ratio or the level of satiety of the person or animal on which the intervention is being made increases.

An example of an IF would be studying for quarterly exams; on the other hand, an IV would be studying for surprise exams (the student knows that they will appear in "X" week, but does not know the exact day).

Applications: clinical and educational practice

This type of program can be used in isolation, or as part of more complex behavior modification programs..

For example, they are widely used, as we mentioned at the beginning, to improve children's behavior and promote the emergence of appropriate behaviors.

Another area in which they can be used is that of addictions.. Specifically in tobacco addiction. J.M. Errasti, from the University of Oviedo, conducted an experiment that demonstrated that variable or random interval programs cause the appearance of lower rates of adjunctive Smoking behavior in humans than fixed interval programs.

Bibliographical references:

• Campos, L. (1973). Diccionario de psicología del aprendizaje. Mexico: Editorial Ciencia de la Conducta.
• Pérez Fernández, Vicente, Gutiérrez Domínguez, Mª Teresa, García García, A. and Gómez Bujedo, J. (2010). Basic psychological processes: a functional analysis. Madrid: UNED.