ABSTRACT
Equation C2 permits a very straightforward derivation of the tendency (seen in Ap pendix B) for reinforcement on an interval (either FI or VI) schedule to abolish responding on a concurrently available ratio (either FR or VR) schedule. Let Ri be the response rate on an interval schedule, and R2 be the response rate on a concurrently available ratio schedule. The rate of reinforcement on the ratio schedule will be
r2 = — , (C3) c
where c is the mean number of responses required for reinforcement on the ratio schedule. From Equation C2.1 we may write
kr2 kr2 n2 =
X , n + r2 + r0 L ri + ro
(because there are only two experimentally programmed alternatives), and substituting for r2 as indicated in Equation C3 to obtain
dividing both sides of the right side of the equation by R2 to obtain
k
multiplying both sides of the equation by r\ + -y-4-ro, and solving for R2 we obtain
R2 = k - c ( n + r 0). (C4)
Note that as ri increases, # 2 decreases steadily (specifically as a straight-line, or linear, function) until it reaches zero. Since R2 can never be negative, we assume that it remains at zero with further increases in r\ (cf. Appendix B, Equation B6).
