Music Discrimination
Training in Lab Rats
Joanna Dickens
Psych 360
Spring 2007
Abstract
In this experiment I trained my lab rat
(Fosse) music discrimination using two
different types of music
Jazz
and
Classical
And to make a different response in the
presence of each one
Fosse
This experiment was carried out as a
SINGLE SUBJECT REASEARCH DESIGN
This means that the entire experiment was
conducted with a single subject, though it may
be replicated with several other subjects.
Background Information
During the conduction of this experiment, Fosse was
deprived of water for 24 hours before each lab session.
This was to help the water used to serve as a reinforcer
during the experiment.
The water used in this experiment was a 10% sucrose
solution
Recall that DEPRIVATION is the withholding of a
reinforcer that increases relevant learning and
performance.
And a REINFORCER is any stimulus, event, or condition
whose presentation immediately follows a response and
increases the frequency of that response.
Fosse was trained prior
to this experiment to
perform the full lever
press and the chain
pull
A few things are needed before the
experiment can begin…
Rat
Skinner Box
(Operant Conditioning Box)
Lever
Water
Chain
iPod (or some other musical device)
Music
There were two pieces of music used in this
experiment, one jazz piece and one classical
piece.
The jazz piece was
“Watermelon Island”
By Eldar Djangirov
The classical piece was
“Mood Music”
By Jim Brickman
The first part of the experiment involved
measuring baseline for a period of 5 minutes.
Both the chain and lever were present in the
Skinner box, and both the light and music were
turned off.
Recall that BASELINE is the phase of an
experiment or intervention in which behavior is
measured in the absence of an intervention.
From this point on we build upon our two basic
reinforcement contingencies that we activate
BEFORE
BEHAVIOR
AFTER
No Water
Pull Chain
Water
And
BEFORE
BEHAVIOR
AFTER
No Water
Press Lever
Water
A REINFORCEMENT CONTINGENCY is the
immediate response contingent presentation of a
reinforcer resulting in an increased frequency of that
response.
But things are never this easy in life,
are they?
We need to apply the concepts of SD and S∆ along with
multiple Discrimination Training Contingencies
And just to review…
An SD is a stimulus in the presence of which a particular
response will be reinforced or punished.
And
An S∆ is a stimulus in the presence of which a particular
response will not be reinforced or punished
So we end up with two separate
Discrimination Training
Contingencies
A discrimination training procedure
involves reinforcing or punishing a
response in the presence of one stimulus
and extinguishing it or allowing it to
recover in the presence of another
stimulus
Therefore our two
Discrimination Training
Contingencies
are as follows
For Jazz Music/Chain Pulling
SD
AFTER
Jazz Music
Water
BEFORE
BEHAVIOR
No
Water
Pull Chain
S∆
AFTER
Classical Music
No
Water
For Classical Music/Lever Pressing
SD
AFTER
Classical Music
Water
BEFORE
BEHAVIOR
No
Water
Lever Press
S∆
AFTER
Jazz Music
No
Water
Experiment
The basic goal of this experiment is to show
discrimination training by the lab rat
between two types of music (the jazz
piece and the classical piece) by having
him perform two separate behaviors (the
pulling of the chain and pressing of the
lever) during the appropriate music (SD)
and to extinguish the inappropriate
response (S∆)
Jazz Music/Chain Pulling
During the first part of the
experiment, chain pulling in the
presence of the jazz music has to
be established.
First, the light is turned off, and the
music is set to play the jazz piece.
Then each chain pull is reinforced,
while each lever press is
extinguished (by not giving the
reinforcer)
Once this behavior of chain pulling
in the presence of the jazz music
has been established for a
consecutive minute with NO
lever presses, the experiment
continues on.
Classical Music/Lever Pressing
Once chain pulling has been
established in the presence of
the jazz music, switch over to
the classical music piece.
Now every lever press will be
reinforced while each chain
pull is extinguished.
This continues on until one
consecutive minute passes
with no incorrect response.
This process of alternating between
reinforcing the chain pulling during the
jazz music (with no lever presses taking
place) and reinforcing the lever pressing
during the classical music (with no chain
pulling taking place) in one minute
intervals (with only correct responding
taking place) continues on until total
discrimination between the two types of
music and the two corresponding
behaviors occur.
Data
Baseline
On the first day of the
experiment, baseline was
recorded for five minutes. No
music was playing, and the
lever and chain were both in
place.
There were 78 total lever presses
in the 5 minute period
That’s an average of 15.6 per
minute
No chain pulling occurred during
baseline
Day 1
On Day 1, the following data were collected
Jazz Music/Chain Pull Classical Music/Lever Press
15 Total Minutes
75 Chain Pulls (Reinforced)
Average of 5 per minute
35 Lever Presses (Not
reinforced)
Total Responses: 110
Total Correct: 75/110
68%
6 Total Minutes
69 Lever Presses (Reinforced)
Average of 11.5 per minute
3 Chain Pulls (Not Reinforced)
Total Responses: 72
Total Correct: 69/72
96%
And now Day 4
Jazz Music/Chain Pull
Classical Music/Lever Press
23 Total Minutes
208 Chain Pulls
Average of 9.04 per minute
25 Lever Presses
Total Responses: 233
Total Correct: 208/233
89%
14 Total Minutes
121 Lever Presses
Average of 8.64 per minute
9 Chain Pulls
Total Responses: 130
Total Correct: 121/130
93%
Finally Day 7
Jazz Music/Chain Pull
Classical Music/Lever Press
15 Total Minutes
225 Chain Pulls
Average of 15 per minute
3 Lever Presses
Total Responses: 228
Total Correct: 225/228
98.7%
17 Total Minutes
248 Total Lever Presses
Average of 15.59 per minute
3 Chain Pulls
Total Responses: 251
Total Correct: 248/251
98.8%
On the day of recording…
Jazz Music/Chain Pull Classical Music/Lever Press
8 Total Minutes
100 Chain Pulls
Average of 12.5 per minute
0 Lever Presses
Total Responses: 100
Total Correct: 100/100
100%
8 Total Minutes
106 Lever Presses
Average of 13.25 per minute
1 Chain Pull
Total Responses: 107
Total Correct: 106/107
99.1%
For the Entire Experiment
Jazz Music/Chain Pull Classical Music/Lever Press
153 Total Minutes
1382 Chain Pulls
Average of 9.03 per minute
184 Lever Presses
Total Responses: 1566
Total Correct: 1382/1566
88.25%
107 Total Minutes
1283 Lever Presses
Average of 11.99 per minute
42 Chain Pulls
Total Responses: 1325
Total Correct: 1283/1325
96.83%
IT WORKED!
After conducting the experiment and
analyzing the data, it can be said
that Fosse the rat properly learned
to distinguish between jazz music
and classical music, and to perform
the correct response during each
musical selection nearly 100% of the
time during the last three lab
sessions
Conclusion
This experiment proves that music
discrimination is possible in lab rats
with the proper techniques and
patience.
Further experiments could now be
conducted to see if this can be
applied to other lab rats, and other
selections of music from these two
musical genres.
And now watch, observe,
and enjoy!
Experiment Designed and Executed by
Joanna M. Dickens
Western Michigan University
Department of Psychology
Psych 360
Concepts of Behavior Analysis
Spring 2007