Sniffy the Virtual Rat

1. Sniffy the Virtual Rat Psych 210 Winter Lab Assignment

2. Today: The Experiment Operant Conditioning The 5 Reinforcement Schedules we’ll use Steps to completing the assignment Grade Determination

3. The Experiment • Train Sniffy using Operant Conditioning • using campus computer program • Using 5 different Reinforcement Schedules • Analyze results to determine how choice of reinforcement schedule affects extinction • Ultimately asking: • How do different schedules of reinforcement affect the persistence of a learned behavior?

4. 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

5. Operant Vs. Classical Conditioning Operant (Type R): Classical (Type S): Emphasis is on the Stimulus Get a stimulus to elicit a response not normally paired with it • Emphasis is on the Response • Use reward to increase a response

6. Schedules of Reinforcement- 2 Main Types: Continuous Reinforcement (CRF): 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. • Rewarded every time the desired behavior occurs • Every time Sniffy presses the bar, he will get a food pellet

7. PRF Schedules-Types: Fixed: Variable: Reward happens around a certain average number of responses “Variable Ratio” OR after an average amount of time passes “Variable Interval” • Reward happens after a set number of responses • “Fixed Ratio” OR • after a set amount of time passes • “Fixed Interval”

8. Fixed Ratio (FR): • Set a specific number of responses required for reward, e.g. 5 • Sniffy will then get a food pellet after he presses the bar 5 times • Real Life Example: Salesperson having to reach a quota to get payment

9. Fixed Interval (FI): • Set a certain number of seconds to pass before reward is given, e.g. 10 seconds • Sniffy will be rewarded on his first bar-press after 10 seconds passes • Real Life Example: Employees getting a Christmas Bonus each year for hard work

10. Variable Ratio (VR): • Set an average number of responses needed for reward, e.g. 5 • Sniffy will get rewarded for about 5 bar-presses- maybe after 4, maybe after 7, etc. It fluctuates around a certain number. • Real Life Example: • VLT machines rewarding randomly

11. Variable Interval (VI): • Set a number of seconds that will need to pass, on average, before reward, e.g. 15 seconds • Sniffy will be rewarded when he responds after about 15 seconds- maybe after 12 seconds, 14, 18, etc. • Real Life Example: • Professor gives bonus points for attending the lecture about every month or so

12. The Computer Program: • My Computer • “Apps on Caesar (S: )” • “Sniffy” Folder • Double-click “Sniffy” Icon

13. 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 VR schedule and Extinguish Step 7) Train on VI schedule and Extinguish Step 8) Train on FR schedule and Extinguish Step 9) Train on FI schedule and Extinguish

14. 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, you can save over the same file. So, throughout CRF training, you can keep saving as “CRF”. Once you move onto a new step be sure to save under a new name, e.g. “CRFext” Hit save often as you are working, to avoid losing work

15. 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* “VR” (documents Step 6 –Training) “VRext” (documents Steps 6- Training and Extinction) –*Print this* “VI”, and then “VIext” (Step 7) -*Print this* “FR”, and then “FRext” (Step 8) - *Print this* “FI” and then “FIext” (Step 9) -*Print this*

16. You Submit: • Assignment is due the week of April1st • 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*

17. Grade Determination: Questions: 5.5% Printed Records: 2% Participation: 5% Total: 12.5%

18. Passing in the Lab: There will be lab every week up until: • Mar. 25th-29th: NO LABS • Work independently if you need to catch up • Apr.1st -5th: NO LABS • Pass in the assignment to the Annex by 4pm on your regular day of lab • My office 114F, or the Drop Box in Main Hallway

19. 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