https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-wise/201311/use-unpredictable-rewards-to-keep-behavior-going
In a variable ratio schedule, you may decide that you are going to reward the behavior, on average, every five times the person does the behavior, but you vary it, so sometimes you give the reward

https://www.simplypsychology.org/schedules-of-reinforcement.html
Schedules of reinforcement are rules that control the timing and frequency of reinforcement delivery in operant conditioning. They include fixed-ratio, variable-ratio, fixed-interval, and variable-interval schedules, each dictating a different pattern of rewards in response to a behavior.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-variable-ratio-schedule-2796012
There are three common characteristics of a variable-ratio schedule. They are: Rewards are provided after an unpredictable number of responses: There is no predictability as to when a reward will be received. It might be after the first response or the fifth, or another number entirely. Leads to a high, steady response rate: When the subject

https://www.abtaba.com/blog/variable-ratio-schedule
Unpredictable Reward Timing: Unlike fixed-ratio or fixed-interval schedules where the timing of rewards is consistent, the variable-ratio schedule introduces uncertainty. Rewards can be delivered after a varying number of responses, making it difficult for individuals to anticipate when they will receive reinforcement.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-schedule-of-reinforcement-2794864
During the initial stages of learning, you would stick to a continuous reinforcement schedule to teach and establish the behavior. This might involve grabbing the dog's paw, shaking it, saying "shake," and then offering a reward each and every time you perform these steps. Eventually, the dog will start to perform the action on its own.

https://www.verywellmind.com/variable-interval-schedule-2796011
A variable-interval schedule is just one way to deliver reinforcement when trying to teach or change a behavior. By only offering a reward sporadically, people tend to respond at a moderate but steady speed. One major plus about using a variable-interval schedule is that it leads to more extinction-proof behavior.

https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/goals-toolkit-how-to-set-achieve-your-goals
I also explain research-supported tools to improve your performance during cognitive or physical goal work — including directed visualization, variable reward timing, and optimizing your physical environment. I also dispel common myths about goal setting and achievement.

https://www.explorepsychology.com/schedules-of-reinforcement/
In psychology, schedules of reinforcement dictate the timing and pattern of rewards given in response to specific behaviors, influencing the likelihood of those behaviors recurring. Due to their unpredictability, variable schedules, such as variable ratio and variable interval, tend to produce more persistent and resistant behaviors than fixed

https://userpilot.com/blog/variable-rewards/
Variable rewards are delivered unpredictably and in varying amounts, leaving people searching for more. Variable rewards are part of the Hook Model. The method was developed by Nir Eyal and it is a four-phased process used to build habit-forming products. The four phases of the Hook Model are the trigger, action, variable rewards, and investment.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004222005600
Reward timing, that is, the delay after which reward is delivered following an action is known to strongly influence reinforcement learning. Here, we asked if reward timing could also modulate how people learn and consolidate new motor skills. ... After a variable preparatory period (0.8-1s), a cursor appeared in the sidebar, playing the role

https://designli.co/blog/a-deep-dive-on-variable-rewards-and-how-to-use-them/
Rewards of the Tribe. People are hardwired to depend on one another for survival. Because of this, we crave social connection. We seek acceptance, inclusion, and a sense of community. We can see rewards of the tribe in action via social media sites like Facebook. People in search of "likes" and "shares" to make them feel admired

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/waymaker-psychology/chapter/reading-reinforcement-schedules/
In a variable ratio reinforcement schedule, the number of responses needed for a reward varies. This is the most powerful partial reinforcement schedule. An example of the variable ratio reinforcement schedule is gambling. Imagine that Sarah—generally a smart, thrifty woman—visits Las Vegas for the first time.

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/evolving-company-culture-base-pay-to-variable-rewards
Timing of variable reward payments also should be as close as possible to the qualifying event. Performance criteria in a successful program, he explained, are: A combination of quantitative and

https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Psychology/Introductory_Psychology/General_Psychology_for_Honors_Students_(Votaw)/18%3A_Operant_Conditioning/18.05%3A_Reinforcement_Schedules
Figure 18.5.1 18.5. 1: The four reinforcement schedules yield different response patterns. The variable ratio schedule is unpredictable and yields high and steady response rates, with little if any pause after reinforcement (e.g., gambler). A fixed ratio schedule is predictable and produces a high response rate, with a short pause after

https://www.parentingforbrain.com/schedules-of-reinforcement/
Here are 5 variable ratio schedule examples in everyday life. Play the slot machine: You win money unpredictably after pulling the lever a random number of times. The payoff reinforces continued play. Go fishing: You catch a fish after casting your line an unpredictable number of times.

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/reward-schedules-and-when-to-use-them
A reward schedule is the reinforcement timings in which to reward the player in the game for accomplishing a certain action. There are 4 base types of reward schedules: Fixed Ratio, Variable Ratio, Fixed Interval, and Variable Interval. Fixed Ratio. In a fixed ratio reward schedule, the player is rewarded for completing an action a set number

https://www.nirandfar.com/want-to-hook-your-users-drive-them-crazy/
At the heart of the Hooked Model is a powerful cognitive quirk described by B.F. Skinner in the 1950s, called a variable schedule of rewards, also referred to as "intermittent reinforcement.". Skinner observed that lab mice responded most voraciously to random rewards. The mice would press a lever and sometimes they'd get a small treat

https://www.behaviouralbydesign.com/post/3-dopamine-practices-for-self-motivation
Dopamine practices for self motivation. The key for dopamine practices (a.k.a. intermittent rewards) is to exercise protocols adjusting our ability to feel pleasure by engaging in some sort of intermittent reward schedule. Practice#1. Take a 30-day dopamine fast ‍. For a fixed period of time , chose to abstain from one behaviour or substance

https://medium.com/@purplepro/the-psychology-behind-variable-rewards-driving-customer-engagement-to-new-heights-71253d97caf2
In the realm of customer engagement, businesses are constantly seeking innovative strategies to captivate their audience and keep them coming back for more. One such strategy that has proven to be

https://fastercapital.com/content/Gamification-in-advertising--Reward-Schedules--Timing-is-Everything--The-Art-of-Reward-Schedules-in-Gamified-Ads.html
From a psychological perspective, variable reward schedules, where the timing of the reward is unpredictable, can create a high level of engagement due to the dopamine-driven anticipation it generates. This is akin to the mechanics seen in slot machines, where the uncertainty of the outcome keeps players hooked.

https://www.inc.com/wanda-thibodeaux/neuroscience-says-this-is-most-powerful-way-to-reward-yourself.html
Aug 26, 2019. For years, you've heard that training yourself or others to a desired habit requires some positive reinforcement--that is, you need a reward to look forward to so your brain squirts

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9150741/
The independent variable was the extra reward timing (immediate extra rewards vs. delayed extra rewards), and the dependent variable was intrinsic motivation. First, the participants were randomly assigned to the immediate extra reward group or the delayed extra reward group, with 29 people in each group.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24446502/
Neurons in the striatum, frontal cortex and amygdala show responses to reward delivery and activities anticipating rewards that are sensitive to the predicted time of reward and the instantaneous reward probability. Together these data suggest that internal timing processes have several well characterized effects on neuronal reward processing.

https://www.salary.com/blog/understanding-variable-pay-how-bonuses-differ-from-incentives/
Variable pay is now a popular practice in workplaces because it gives workers extra money on top of their regular salary. Two common types of variable pay are bonuses and incentives. They may seem alike on the surface, but they are actually different terms. This article will explain the differences between bonuses and incentives.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11238-024-09996-6
We address the issue of fairly rewarding contributors to a crowdfunded project. We develop a theoretical non-strategic model, and introduce a new reward rule: a contributor's reward depends both on her financial contribution and on the timing of her contribution. Following the axiomatic method used in models of resource sharing, we characterize this new reward rule by a pair of natural