Day 4: FR2

9/22/12 
(notes taken at time of session)

Goal:
Start a non-continuous FR schedule after shaping + FR1.

Procedure:
Begin stretching the ratio in Mitzy's training by moving onto an FR2, observing progress made since shaping, development of a post-ratio pause, etc...

Results + Discussion:
For approximately the first half of the session, Mitzy demonstrated a chain of behaviors between bar presses--she would press the bar quickly, check the magazine, and on her second press she would hold the bar for several seconds before releasing and obtaining her reward. Dr. Trench had previously told the class that it was okay if the rats checked the magazine in between presses, so this behavior did not seem out of the ordinary or worrisome. However, I was somewhat concerned that Mitzy's response of putting more "effort" or force into her second bar press (either holding down the bar or biting it) would become reinforced and would thereby become an accidentally-shaped behavior.
Mitzy continued to check the bar between presses, but demonstrated a fairly consistent rate of response. She did not appear to be overly distracted for the majority of the training session, but would lose focus for ~30 seconds every few minutes or so (as seen in FR1 training). However, she began to jump around and rear up in various places in the box ~18 minutes in, and seemed to lose motivation at this point. I stopped the session at 25 minutes.

Mitzy pressed the bar 226 times and was reinforced 113 times. Her weight after training was 209.6 grams.

This video was taken approximately 17 minutes into the session, and demonstrates some of the distracted behavior mentioned above. Note the quick peek into the hopper between presses.

Day 3, Shaping Continued

The notes for the following were recorded yesterday

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Training Day 3: Shaping Continued
9/22/12

Goal: to continue and complete shaping my rat to press the bar

Procedure:
To further shape Mitzy to associate ONLY bar presses with food delivery, I became more selective in which behaviors I would reinforce over the course of the session. I began by delivering food when Mitzy sniffed the top of the bar (sniffing the bottom did not earn food), touched the top with one or both paws, or reared just above the bar. As the session continued, I began to extinguish sniffing behavior, and would only give Mitzy a treat if she touched the bar with one or both hands.

Results:

Mitzy displayed a strong association between touching the bar and receiving a food pellet. She would test out certain behaviors around the bar, and quickly check the magazine for a reward. She did very well in learning just to touch the bar with her paws, rather than explore or sniff the bar. By the end of the session, she was pressing the bar consistently, and required no manual reinforcements. She received 34 manual reinforcements (until ~20 minutes in), and pressed the bar 66 times.

Discussion:
Extinguishing "bar sniffs" required careful monitoring. There were a few instances in which I did have to back up and reinforce a bar sniff. For example, she would sniff the bar several times, check the magazine, and then lose interest for awhile (explore the front of the box, groom herself, etc). In such instances, I would give her a food pellet once she returned to sniff the bar.

Overall, though, I was very impressed by her rate of learning. She is very motivated and inquisitive, and narrowed her range of behaviors quickly in the session. By the end of the session, she did not even attempt to receive a reward from bar touches or sniffs. Instead, she would immediately press the bar, eat her treat, and repeat :). Often, she did not even move her feet at all, but would just rotate her upper body between the bar and the magazine.

Weight at the end of session = 212 grams.
Session ran from 8:35 AM to 9:05 AM (30 minutes).
Reinforcements (manual)= 34; Bar presses= 66.

Magazine Training + Shaping (Day 1)

The notes for the following post were recorded on the day of my lesson with Devon.
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Training Day 1: 9/19/12

Goal: To magazine train and begin shaping. In magazine training, I am attempting to classically condition an association between the sound of the food magazine and the delivery of food (reward). In addition, I began shaping to form as association between being near/ touching the bar with a reward. This will prepare Mitzy for further shaping in which I will reinforce bar presses alone.

Procedure:
Mitzy was put on a food deprivation diet to maximize motivation while training. She was deprived to approximately 85% of her starting weight, and weighed 110 grams today (4g above target). For Day 1 of training, I began by delivering a food pellet when my rat was turned toward the magazine. I advanced by reinforcing approaches to the magazine/ bar, and would give a pellet each time that she ate her food, pulled her head out of the magazine, and continued to explore this back corner area.

Results:
Mitzy quickly began exploring the box, giving me an opportunity to administer a pellet when she first directed her attention to the magazine. After a few tries at this, she began to notice the food coming into the magazine. For most of the training session, she would eat her pellet and go explore a different part of the box. However, after a while she began to demonstrate an association with the food delivery and her presence in/ exploration of the back corner, and began to spend much of her time sniffing around and rearing between the magazine and the bar.

At this point I began shaping. I began pressing the button when Mitzy reared above the bar, sniffed the bar, and touched the bar, and stopped reinforcing behavior such as approaching or looking at the magazine.

Discussion:
I was somewhat surprised by how quickly Mitzy demonstrated an association between the sound of the magazine and food delivery. Although she would not go to the magazine right away for about the first half of the session, after ~15 minutes she would retrieve her food almost as soon as she heard the magazine sound. In addition, she appeared to be highly motivated by the food reward. Although she is a few grams above her target weight, I will consider keeping her at this current body weight, as it does not seem to impair her training motivation.

The shaping process seems to be off to a good start. By the end of the session, she was spending most of her time in the back corner (rearing, sniffing, etc). She still continues to sniff around the front of the box on occasion, and takes somewhat frequent grooming breaks.

I manually reinforced Mitzy 72 times, and she pressed the bar once.
The session ran from 5:40 PM to 6:10 PM.

Post 1 Questions

What was your initial impression of rats, in general, before your first Learning lab? 
I wasn't particularly fond of rats, but neither was I scared or grossed out by them. I know some people who have pet rats, so I suppose that had helped me not to see all rats as being dirty.

Did this impression change by the end of the lab? Why or why not?
Holding my rat made me feel pretty warm and fuzzy about her, so I suppose that my impression of rats improved a little bit. Also, I really like how curious they seem to be about their surroundings.

Were you able to hold your rat?
Yes, and she was very calm. She barely squirmed, and seemed to want to nestle underneath my hand for protection.

Do you have any ideas for a name?
Not yet-- I usually name everything Timmy, but my rat is deserving of a female name. TBD.

UPDATE: I have named my rat Mitzy. :) See below for a picture of her being inquisitive and cuddly.