Different types of reward schedules can really help us learn better. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
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Types of Schedules:
- Continuous Reinforcement: This means you get a reward every time you do something good. It feels awesome at first, but if the rewards stop, you might stop trying too.
- Partial Reinforcement: This includes things like fixed-ratio, variable-ratio, fixed-interval, and variable-interval schedules. Variable schedules, especially variable-ratio, can make people stick with a behavior longer. Think about gambling—you keep playing because you never know when you might win again.
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Impact on Learning:
- When using variable schedules, people usually keep trying even if the rewards are not given all the time.
- Having a mix of immediate rewards (like in continuous reinforcement) and surprise rewards (like in partial reinforcement) can lead to more motivated and engaged learners.
In short, knowing how these reward schedules work can really help improve how we learn!