METHODS
Subjects
The study consisted of four rats. All the rats are male and are virtual albino Sprague-dawley. The rats in this study are not previously conditioned.
Material
The experiments were completed using the computer program, Sniffy the Virtual Rat Version 3.0 (Alloway, Wilson, & Graham, 2012). This program allows us to stimulate a virtual rat and perform classical conditioning and operant conditioning. This program avoids using real rats for the sake of analyzing the psychology of learning. The program allows us to stimulate a virtual rat in a behavior very similar to an actual rat. Using data that was previously collected from experiments done on an actual rat, the program is able to stimulate similar behavior using the virtual …show more content…
The first exercise is Acquisition; the second exercise is Extinction; the third exercise is Spontaneous Recovery; and the fourth exercise is Varying Strength of the Conditioned Stimulus.
In the first exercise we analyzed Acquisition. Sniffy is exposed to the CS, which is the medium tone. Being that he shows no reaction to this tone, we can conclude that it is a neutral stimulus. Also, we can note that when the CS is weak, the conditioning occurs slower, so the fear response will happen slower. Then, we exposed sniffy to the US, which is a medium shock. The first exercise analyzing Acquisition had ten trials with five-minute intervals in between each trial.
In the second exercise we analyzed Extinction. Sniffy is exposed to the CS, which is the medium tone, but Sniffy is not exposed to an US. The second exercise analyzing Extinction had thirty trials with five-minute intervals in between each trial.
In the third exercise we analyzed Spontaneous Recovery. After putting Sniffy in a twenty-four hour time out, Sniffy is exposed to the CS, which is the medium tone, but Sniffy is not exposed to an US. The third exercise analyzing Spontaneous Recovery had fifteen trials with five-minute intervals in between each …show more content…
Parts of the figures were not in line because of experimental error. The data reveals that during the first exercise, Acquisition, Sniffy exhibits an increasing CR and CER as he is continuously being exposed to the CS, a medium intensity tone, paired with the US, a medium intensity shock (Table 1). We can note that the fear response is occurring slower because the CS is weaker. After the tenth trial in the first exercise, Sniffy has reached the plateau, which is when the level of fear is reached.
The second exercise, Extinction, as Sniffy is being exposed to the CS, the medium intensity tone, throughout the thirty trials. The data reveals that after the 25th exposure to the CS, he no longer has any response to the medium intensity tone (CS) (Table 2).
The third exercise, Spontaneous Recovery, the data revealed that after Sniffy is removed from the twenty-four hour timeout, he still showed a response when exposed to the CS. The constant exposure to the CS, medium intensity tone, resulted in an increased fear response. This data revealed this activity of an increased fear response during the fifteen trials, and begins to diminish after the fifteenth trial (Table 3). We can note that spontaneous should be diminished faster than
Subjects
The study consisted of four rats. All the rats are male and are virtual albino Sprague-dawley. The rats in this study are not previously conditioned.
Material
The experiments were completed using the computer program, Sniffy the Virtual Rat Version 3.0 (Alloway, Wilson, & Graham, 2012). This program allows us to stimulate a virtual rat and perform classical conditioning and operant conditioning. This program avoids using real rats for the sake of analyzing the psychology of learning. The program allows us to stimulate a virtual rat in a behavior very similar to an actual rat. Using data that was previously collected from experiments done on an actual rat, the program is able to stimulate similar behavior using the virtual …show more content…
The first exercise is Acquisition; the second exercise is Extinction; the third exercise is Spontaneous Recovery; and the fourth exercise is Varying Strength of the Conditioned Stimulus.
In the first exercise we analyzed Acquisition. Sniffy is exposed to the CS, which is the medium tone. Being that he shows no reaction to this tone, we can conclude that it is a neutral stimulus. Also, we can note that when the CS is weak, the conditioning occurs slower, so the fear response will happen slower. Then, we exposed sniffy to the US, which is a medium shock. The first exercise analyzing Acquisition had ten trials with five-minute intervals in between each trial.
In the second exercise we analyzed Extinction. Sniffy is exposed to the CS, which is the medium tone, but Sniffy is not exposed to an US. The second exercise analyzing Extinction had thirty trials with five-minute intervals in between each trial.
In the third exercise we analyzed Spontaneous Recovery. After putting Sniffy in a twenty-four hour time out, Sniffy is exposed to the CS, which is the medium tone, but Sniffy is not exposed to an US. The third exercise analyzing Spontaneous Recovery had fifteen trials with five-minute intervals in between each …show more content…
Parts of the figures were not in line because of experimental error. The data reveals that during the first exercise, Acquisition, Sniffy exhibits an increasing CR and CER as he is continuously being exposed to the CS, a medium intensity tone, paired with the US, a medium intensity shock (Table 1). We can note that the fear response is occurring slower because the CS is weaker. After the tenth trial in the first exercise, Sniffy has reached the plateau, which is when the level of fear is reached.
The second exercise, Extinction, as Sniffy is being exposed to the CS, the medium intensity tone, throughout the thirty trials. The data reveals that after the 25th exposure to the CS, he no longer has any response to the medium intensity tone (CS) (Table 2).
The third exercise, Spontaneous Recovery, the data revealed that after Sniffy is removed from the twenty-four hour timeout, he still showed a response when exposed to the CS. The constant exposure to the CS, medium intensity tone, resulted in an increased fear response. This data revealed this activity of an increased fear response during the fifteen trials, and begins to diminish after the fifteenth trial (Table 3). We can note that spontaneous should be diminished faster than