Fixed Ratio

The highest fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement I attained with Monica was FR10.  We progressed through the FR schedules quickly, training at each schedule for only one day.  Every time Monica went in the operant box, she immediately began pressing the bar.  After FR1, Monica received at least 100 pellets per training session.  On the last fixed ratio schedule, FR10, she pressed the lever 1008 times!  As we went through the different schedules, Monica pressed the bar more times in order to get the same amount of reinforcements.  During the higher schedules, she had longer postreinforcement pauses, when she would roam around and stick her nose through the corner of the box.  She made up for the longer time she spent between pressing sessions by pressing the lever continuously for longer periods of time.  
In the following cumulative records from Monica's FR3 and FR10 training days, the steep slope shows how often she was pressing the bar.  On the higher levels when she pressed the bar more, and thus, the slope is steeper.  The graph resets at 0 after every 100 bar presses.  

Cumulative Record Day 6 - FR3

Cumulative Record Day 9 - FR10