What does intermittent reinforcement mean?

Intermittent reinforcement refers to a scheduling of rewards in which reinforcement is provided after some instances of a behavior rather than after every occurrence. This type of reinforcement can strengthen a behavior over time because the uncertainty of when the reinforcement will occur can lead to greater persistence in the behavior. Individuals may continue to engage in the behavior, hoping for the reward.

In contrast, reinforcement after every behavior would be continuous reinforcement, which can be effective for establishing new behaviors but may not be as effective for maintaining them over the long term. Fixed schedules of reinforcement apply specific criteria for when reinforcement is given, while continuous application of reinforcement can lead to rapid extinction of a behavior once the reinforcement is removed. Therefore, intermittent reinforcement serves a unique purpose in behavior maintenance and is a key concept in behavior analysis.