The schedule of reinforcement that produces high rates of responding with little pause is best described as?

The schedule of reinforcement that produces high rates of responding with little pause is best described as a Variable Ratio schedule. This schedule is characterized by providing reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses, which encourages continuous and steady responding.

Because the reinforcement is based on the number of responses rather than a fixed time period, individuals do not know when the next reinforcement will occur, leading to high levels of engagement and persistence in their behavior. This unpredictability motivates individuals to respond more frequently, as they may be close to receiving reinforcement with their next response. This is why gambling, for example, can be so compelling; players may keep playing, believing that the next play could yield a win.

In contrast, schedules like Fixed Ratio or Fixed Interval often result in pauses in responding after reinforcement is delivered since the individual becomes aware of the set criteria for receiving that reinforcement. Variable Interval schedules also provide a level of unpredictability but typically produce lower rates of responding compared to Variable Ratio schedules, primarily because reinforcement is tied to time rather than the number of responses. Thus, the Variable Ratio schedule is most effective for maintaining high rates of response with minimal pauses.