FIXED-RATIO AND FIXED-INTERVAL SCHEDULES OF CARTOON PRESENTATION

Children turned cartoon movies on briefly by pressing one lever: cartoons appeared according to either fixed-ratio (FR) or fixed-interval (FI) schedules. Presses of a second lever did not present the cartoons. The rate of responding to the FR or FI lever increased, and responding to the other lever decreased. Generally, there were higher and steadier response rates with the FR than with the FI schedules. Further evidence for schedule effects was that children changed to FR after first being trained on FI rapidly attained a high, steady response rate, and children changed to FI after initial training on FR attained a lower, more erratic rate. The duration of each cartoon presentation appeared to be relevant in determining the ability of the cartoons to maintain responding. © 1969.