In dog training, which term describes the persistence of task performance under an unpredictable reward schedule?

• A. Extinction
• B. Shaping
• C. Fixed Ratio Reinforcement
• D. Variable Reinforcement

Answer: (D)

Variable reinforcement is the idea that rewards are given on an unpredictable schedule, so the dog learns that a reward could come at any moment. This uncertainty makes the behavior persist even when rewards aren’t delivered every time, increasing resistance to extinction compared with predictable rewards. In training, this keeps the dog performing the task longer, especially in real-life situations where rewards aren’t guaranteed. Extinction describes the decline of a behavior when rewards stop; shaping is about rewarding closer approximations to a goal; a fixed ratio reinforcement pays after a set number of responses, producing reliable bursts but not the same enduring persistence under unpredictability.