Sniffy the Virtual RatPsych 210 Winter Lab Assignment

Today:1) The Experiment

2) Operant Conditioning

3) The 5 Reinforcement Schedules we’ll use

4) Steps to completing the assignment

5) Grade Determination

The Experiment

Operant Conditioning

Increases the rate of a desired behavior by reinforcing that behavior when it occurs

In our case, we want Sniffy to bar-press

We will reinforce with food pellets

See Chapter 5 (B.F. Skinner) in your textbook

Operant Vs. Classical Conditioning

Operant (Type R):

Emphasis is on the Response

Use reward to increase a response

Classical (Type S):

Emphasis is on the Stimulus

Get a stimulus to elicit a response not normally paired with it

Schedules of Reinforcement-

2 Main Types:

Continuous Reinforcement (CRF):

Rewarded every time the desired behavior occurs

Every time Sniffy presses the bar, he will get a food pellet

Partial Reinforcement(PRF):

Rewarded some times when behavior occurs; not every time

e.g. Sniffy might press the bar 5 times and only get rewarded once.

PRF Schedules-Types:

Fixed:Reward happens after a set number of responses

“Fixed Ratio”

OR

after a set amount of time passes

“Fixed Interval”

Variable:Reward happens around a certain average number of responses

“Variable Ratio”

OR

after an average amount of time passes

“Variable Interval”

Fixed Ratio (FR):

Fixed Interval (FI):

Variable Ratio (VR):

Variable Interval (VI):

The Computer Program:

My Computer

“Apps on Caesar (S: )”

“Sniffy” Folder

Double-click “Sniffy” Icon

Completing the Assignment:Step 1) Observe Sniffy’s behaviors

Step 2) Magazine Train Sniffy

Step 3) Train on CRF schedule

Step 4) Extinguish behavior

Step 5) Observe Spontaneous Recovery and Extinguish

Step 6) Train on FR schedule and Extinguish

Step 7) Train on FI schedule and Extinguish

Step 8) Train on VR schedule and Extinguish

Step 9) Train on VI schedule and Extinguish

Saving your Progress:Saving properly is IMPORTANT for this lab!

THINK about what and how you are Saving each time

Always save to your H: Drive

Manual tells you when to Save and when to Print

As you are progressing through one step, save over the same file. So, throughout CRF training, keep saving as “CRF”. Once done, do NOT overwrite again.

Saving your Progress:You should save and print these files as you go:

“CRF” (documents Steps 1-3) – DO NOT SAVE OVER THIS FILE ONCE DONE THE ORIGINAL TRAINING!

“CRFext” (documents Steps 1-5) –*Print this*

“FR” (documents Step 6 –Training)

“FRext” (documents Steps 6- Training and Extinction) –*Print this*

“FI”, and then “FIext” (Step 7) -*Print this*

“VR”, and then “VRext” (Step 8) - *Print this*

“VI” and then “VIext” (Step 9) -*Print this*

You Submit: Assignment is due the week of April 2nd

As you go through the Steps, your manual instructs you to record certain observations

You will use these, and Ch. 5, to answer the questions attached at end of manual

Submit these answers, typed and in APA format

Also, submit the Records you have Printed out as an Appendix

*See directions on this in Manual*

Grade Determination:

Questions: 5.5%

Printed Records: 2%

Participation: 5%

Total: 12.5%

Passing in the Lab:There will be lab every week up until:

Mar. 26th- 30th: NO LABSWork independently if you need to catch up

Apr. 2nd -6th: NO LABSPass in the assignment to the Annex

My office 114F, or the Drop Box in Main Hallway

Starting Today:Read through your manual

Start on steps 1 and 2 Observe Sniffy’s behavior and get him Magazine Trained

Before you leave, save your work as ‘CRF’

Use the drop-down arrow in the “Save” window to save to your H: drive