Effect of Reinforcement Schedule Change on Behavioral Response

In an experiment, a psychologist is interested in using operant conditioning to modify the behavior of a lab rat. The rat presses a lever, and in response, it receives a food pellet. The psychologist initially rewards the rat with food pellets for every lever press (continuous reinforcement). However, after several sessions, the psychologist decides to change the reinforcement schedule to a variable ratio schedule, where the rat receives food pellets after an unpredictable number of lever presses. Given this context, consider the implications of the change in reinforcement schedule on the rat's behavior in terms of response patterns and extinction rates.

Which of the following statements best describes the most likely outcome of the transition from continuous reinforcement to a variable ratio reinforcement schedule?