Psychology
Explainer
Why Gambling Is So Hard to Quit
Why do people keep betting after losing again and again?
Quick check · tap an answer to continue
Lesson notes
Key points
- A reinforcement schedule is the rule deciding when a behaviour gets reinforced, either every time or only sometimes.
- Ratio schedules reward after a number of responses, interval schedules after time passes, and each can be fixed or variable.
- Variable-ratio schedules produce high, steady responding and strong resistance to extinction, because the next response might always pay off.
Definitions
- Reinforcement schedule
- The rule for when a behaviour is reinforced: continuously or partially, by count (ratio) or time (interval).
Takeaway: Unpredictable rewards create the most persistent behaviour.
Quick check: Which schedule is most resistant to extinction?
- Fixed interval
- Continuous
- Variable ratio
Unpredictable rewards after varying responses make quitting hardest.
Reinforcement scheduleRatio vs intervalVariable ratio
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