Duration schedules of reinforcement for continuous behavior abide by several preexisting operant behavioral economic equations for reinforcer cost, otherwise known as price, and consumption. Duration schedules require behaviors to occur for a set duration of time prior to accessing reinforcement, unlike interval schedules that produce…

This study investigated performance under and preference for continuous and discontinuous work-reinforcer schedules in 3 students who had been diagnosed with autism. Under continuous schedules, participants completed all work and consumed all reinforcers in contiguous units. Under discontinuous schedules, work and reinforcer access were broken up…

Four college students completed programmed instruction in a computerized format with either no delay between questions, a noncontingent delay, or a contingent delay (delay after each question answered incorrectly). Noncontingent delay produced better performance than no delay and contingent delay, because students used delay periods to study.…