AP Psychology Practice Test

Partial reinforcement, also known as intermittent reinforcement, refers to the practice of reinforcing a response only some of the time it occurs. This method is crucial in the study of behavior because it tends to create more robust and durable behavior patterns than continuous reinforcement, where every instance of the desired behavior is reinforced.

By reinforcing behavior inconsistently, it increases the likelihood that the behavior will persist over time. This is often seen in scenarios such as gambling, where a person continues to play despite not winning every time, motivated by occasional payouts. The uncertainty of reinforcement can lead to higher rates of responding because the individual is unsure when the next reinforcement will occur, making it a powerful tool in shaping behavior.

The other options discuss different concepts, such as continuous reinforcement (which is when every instance is reinforced), using only primary reinforcers (which does not address the timing or consistency of reinforcement), or reinforcement schedules like fixed-ratio schedules, which is a specific type of partial reinforcement. These do not capture the broader and more generalized concept of intermittent reinforcement as effectively as option B does.