Fixed-Interval Schedule  -  A schedule of reinforcement or punishment in which the reinforcer or punisher is presented after a fixed amount of time.

Fixed-Ratio Schedule  -  A schedule of reinforcement or punishment in which the reinforcer or punisher is presented after a fixed number of responses (e.g. lever- presses).

Law of Effect  -  Edward Lee Thorndike's name for the effect of rewards or punishments on behavior. See operant conditioning.

Operant Conditioning  -  B. F. Skinner's name for the effect of rewards or punishments on behavior. See law of effect.

Primary Reinforcer  -  A reinforcer that directly affects survival; e.g. food, water, or sex.

Punisher  -  A stimulus that decreases the probability of the response that produces it. An example might be an electric shock when a rat pushes a lever. See punishment.

Punishment  -  The process by which an organism learns to decrease the rate of a response.

Reinforcer  -  A stimulus that increases the probability of the response that produces it, such as when a rat receives food for pressing a lever.

Reinforcement  -  The process by which an organism learns to increase the rate of a response.

Secondary Reinforcer  -  A stimulus that gains reinforcing properties because it is associated with a primary reinforcer. Under this conception, money is a secondary reinforcer because having it allows greater access to primary reinforces such as food, clothing, etc.

Self-Efficacy  -  One's belief in one's ability to perform a particular task.

Variable-Interval Schedule  -  A schedule of reinforcement or punishment in which the reinforcer or punisher is presented after a variable amount of time.

Variable-Ratio Schedule  -  A schedule of reinforcement or punishment in which the reinforcer or punisher is presented after a variable number of responses (e.g. lever- presses).