ABSTRACT
The stimuli that precede operants and the consequences that follow them may be arranged in many different ways. A schedule of reinforcement describes this arrangement. In other words, a schedule of reinforcement is a prescription that states how and when discriminative stimuli and behavioral consequences will be presented (Morse, 1966). In the laboratory, sounding a buzzer in an operant chamber may be a signal (SD) that sets the occasion for each lever press (operant) to produce food (consequence). A similar schedule operates when a dark room sets the occasion for a person to turn on a lamp, which, of course, is followed by light in the room.
