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Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis logoLink to Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
. 1991 Winter;24(4):799–801. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1991.24-799

A simple BASIC program to generate values for variable-interval schedules of reinforcement

Donald A Hantula 1
PMCID: PMC1279637  PMID: 16795763

Abstract

A BASIC program to generate values for variable-interval (VI) schedules of reinforcement is presented. A VI schedule should provide access to reinforcement with a constant probability over a time horizon. If the values in a VI schedule are calculated from an arithmetic progression, the probability of reinforcement is positively correlated with the time since the last reinforcer was delivered. Fleshler and Hoffman (1962) developed an iterative equation to calculate VI schedule values so that the probability of reinforcement remains constant. This easy-to-use program generates VI schedule values according to the Fleshler and Hoffman equation, randomizes the values, and saves the values in ASCII to a disk file.

Keywords: variable-interval schedules, computer programs, BASIC

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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