Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Reinforcement Schedules

Reinforcement Schedules

Positive reinforcement is a powerful method for teaching new behaviors to both animals and humans. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments using rats in a Skinner box. When a rat pressed a lever, it received a food pellet. This immediate reward encouraged the rat to repeat the behavior. This method, where a reward follows every instance of the behavior, is known as continuous reinforcement. It is highly effective for establishing new behaviors quickly.
Once a behavior is learned,...

Reinforcement

Reinforcement

Positive and negative reinforcement are key concepts in operant conditioning, a learning process where the consequences of a behavior affect the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.
Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus, increasing the frequency of that behavior. For example:

Primary and Secondary Reinforcers

Primary and Secondary Reinforcers

In psychology, reinforcement is a key concept in behavior modification. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments involving rats in what is known as a Skinner box. The rats learned to press a lever to receive food, a primary reinforcer that fulfilled their innate need for nourishment.
Effective reinforcers for humans vary depending on the individual and the context. Primary reinforcers, such as food, water, sleep, shelter, and pleasure, have inherent value and satisfy basic biological...

Timing and Consequences on Behavior

Timing and Consequences on Behavior

In operant conditioning, the timing of reinforcement is crucial. For animals like rats and cats, immediate reinforcement (within a few seconds) is much more effective than delayed reinforcement. For example, a food reward for a rat needs to follow within 30 seconds of pressing a bar to be effective.
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant...

Social Facilitation

Social Facilitation

Not all intergroup interactions lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social facilitation occurs when an individual performs better when an audience is watching than when the individual performs the behavior alone. This typically occurs when people are performing a task for which they are skilled.

Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning, a key concept in behavioral psychology, involves using reinforcement and punishment to alter the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. B.F. introduced this type of conditioning. Skinner focused on voluntary behaviors and the consequences that follow them, influencing whether these behaviors will be strengthened or diminished.
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Neuronal dynamics, timing, and flow of sensory and choice-related information in auditory-prefrontal circuitry.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Long-term Learning Induces Plastic Changes in Frontostriatal Circuits.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Synaptic pruning, myelination and the emergence of psychiatric disorders in late adolescence.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Retrograde transduction of dopaminergic cells in substantia nigra of the rhesus monkey.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

A synaptic mechanism for encoding the learned value of action-derived safety.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Surgical protocol for precise and high-throughput viral injections in rhesus monkey brain.

STAR protocols·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 3, 2026

Study Motor Skill Learning by Single-pellet Reaching Tasks in Mice

Study Motor Skill Learning by Single-pellet Reaching Tasks in Mice

Published on: March 4, 2014

Stochastic reinforcement benefits skill acquisition.

Eran Dayan¹, Bruno B Averbeck, Barry J Richmond

¹Human Cortical Physiology and Neurorehabilitation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.

Learning & Memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.)

|February 18, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Stochastic reinforcement, where rewards are unpredictable, significantly enhances learning complex skills. This type of reinforcement improves both immediate skill gains and long-term memory retention.

More Related Videos

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Published on: June 22, 2015

Investigating Motor Skill Learning Processes with a Robotic Manipulandum

Investigating Motor Skill Learning Processes with a Robotic Manipulandum

Published on: February 12, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 3, 2026

Study Motor Skill Learning by Single-pellet Reaching Tasks in Mice

Study Motor Skill Learning by Single-pellet Reaching Tasks in Mice

Published on: March 4, 2014

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Published on: June 22, 2015

Investigating Motor Skill Learning Processes with a Robotic Manipulandum

Investigating Motor Skill Learning Processes with a Robotic Manipulandum

Published on: February 12, 2017

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Motor Learning

Background:

Skill acquisition relies on reinforcement learning.
Real-world skill learning often involves unpredictable reward schedules (stochastic reinforcement).

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how different levels of reinforcement stochasticity impact visuomotor skill acquisition.
To determine the effects of stochastic reinforcement on both immediate learning and long-term skill retention.

Main Methods:

Subjects were trained on a visuomotor learning task.
Three reinforcement schedules were compared: high stochasticity, low stochasticity, and no stochasticity.

Main Results:

Training with higher levels of stochastic reinforcement led to greater skill acquisition.
Enhanced online (within-session) performance gains were observed under higher stochasticity.
Improved long-term retention of the acquired skills was also noted with increased stochasticity.

Conclusions:

The effectiveness of reinforcement in skill acquisition is contingent upon the nature of the reinforcement schedule.
Stochastic reinforcement schedules can be more beneficial for learning complex skills than predictable ones.