Abstract
In this experiment I trained my lab rat (Fosse) music discrimination using two
different types of musicJazzand
ClassicalAnd to make a different response in the
presence of each one
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 InformationDuring 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.
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
A REINFORCEMENT CONTINGENCY is the immediate response contingent presentation of a
reinforcer resulting in an increased frequency of that response.
BEFORE
No Water
BEHAVIOR
Pull Chain
AFTER
Water
And
BEFORE
No Water
BEHAVIOR
Press Lever
AFTER
Water
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
For Jazz Music/Chain Pulling
BEFORE
No Water
SD
Jazz Music
BEHAVIOR
Pull Chain
S∆
Classical Music
AFTER
Water
AFTER
NoWater
For Classical Music/Lever Pressing
BEFORE
No Water
BEHAVIOR
Lever Press
SD
Classical Music
S∆
Jazz Music
AFTER
Water
AFTER
NoWater
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 PullingDuring 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.
BaselineOn 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 1On Day 1, the following data were collected
Jazz Music/Chain Pull
15 Total Minutes75 Chain Pulls (Reinforced)
Average of 5 per minute35 Lever Presses (Not
reinforced)Total Responses: 110Total Correct: 75/110
68%
Classical Music/Lever Press
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
23 Total Minutes
208 Chain Pulls
Average of 9.04 per minute
25 Lever Presses
Total Responses: 233
Total Correct: 208/233
89%
Classical Music/Lever Press
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
15 Total Minutes
225 Chain Pulls
Average of 15 per minute
3 Lever Presses
Total Responses: 228
Total Correct: 225/228
98.7%
Classical Music/Lever Press
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
8 Total Minutes
100 Chain Pulls
Average of 12.5 per minute
0 Lever Presses
Total Responses: 100
Total Correct: 100/100
100%
Classical Music/Lever Press
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
153 Total Minutes
1382 Chain Pulls
Average of 9.03 per minute
184 Lever Presses
Total Responses: 1566
Total Correct: 1382/1566
88.25%
Classical Music/Lever Press
107 Total Minutes
1283 Lever Presses
Average of 11.99 per minute
42 Chain Pulls
Total Responses: 1325
Total Correct: 1283/1325
96.83%
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.