What type of reinforcement is exemplified by giving occasional praise or conducting surprise inspections?

The type of reinforcement represented by giving occasional praise or conducting surprise inspections is a variable interval schedule. In this reinforcement schedule, rewards or reinforcement are provided at unpredictable time intervals, which means that the individual is not sure when behavior will be reinforced. This unpredictability tends to encourage consistent behavior because the individual remains engaged in the task in anticipation of potential rewards.

The act of providing praise sporadically motivates the individual to maintain their performance, as they do not know when their efforts will be recognized. Similarly, surprise inspections can serve to reinforce behaviors by ensuring that employees remain diligent and productive, knowing they could be evaluated at any time. This unpredictability is effective in maintaining engagement and can lead to sustained improvements in performance over time.

Continuous reinforcement, on the other hand, involves providing a reward every time a desired behavior occurs, which does not match this scenario. Similarly, a fixed ratio schedule entails providing reinforcement after a predetermined number of responses, while personal power relates to an individual's influence and ability to motivate others, not to reinforcement schedules.