Simulated Operant Conditioning: Sniffy the Virtual Rat - Lab Report

This laboratory report details an undergraduate psychology experiment using Sniffy the Virtual Rat to simulate operant conditioning. The experiment involved observing Sniffy's baseline behaviors, magazine training, shaping, and conditioning to establish a bar-pressing response, followed by extinction and spontaneous recovery phases. Students, working in pairs, recorded observations, reinforced specific behaviors, and tracked cumulative bar presses. The results indicated a gradual increase in conditioned bar-pressing behavior, demonstrating the principles of reinforcement and shaping. The report includes detailed methodologies, observations, results, and a discussion of the findings, concluding that the Sniffy program effectively simulates operant conditioning and allows for the manipulation and modification of various experimental aspects.

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
Simulated Operant Conditioning:
Sniffy the Virtual Rat
Student’s Name:
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Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
Abstract
Operant conditioning is a type of learning where an organism learns through the
consequences of its behaviour (Skinner, 1938). For instance, when studying the Sniffy the
rat’s behaviour under a particular condition, one variant behaviour would be constantly
moving towards the bar to get the reinforcement (food pellets). A second variant behaviour
could be Sniffy standing on his hind legs because it is one step closer to the target behaviour
(Elcoro, 2013). This second variant is then reinforced until Sniffy constantly does this
behaviour. The reinforcement of variant behaviours continues until the subject finally
completes the target behaviour. In this way, a regular pattern of behaviour is conditioned to
the rat. In the operant conditioning the subject has a choice to respond different from classical
conditioning where the subject does not have a choice to respond. In the experiment, Sniffy
the rat is put in a chamber and its behaviour is observed and specific data relating to the
dependent variable of bar pressing behaviour are recorded for analysis. It imitates many of
the behaviours one would observe in a real rat learning to operate in the controlled
environment of an operant chamber (Graham, Alloway, & Krames, 1994). It was designed to
provide a realistic conditioning experience in a cost effective and ethical way. The Operant
chamber or “Skinner box” was constructed by B. F. Skinner while developing the laws of
operant conditioning in 1930, to be used in experiments aimed at identifying an animal’s
response under controlled conditions (Skinner, 1935). These modified behaviours through
operant conditioning are called operant behaviours which occur spontaneously (naturally). In
the context of the Sniffy program, Sniffy has an entire repertoire of possible operant
behaviours such as standing up against the wall, walking around, cleaning its genitals,
scratching its ears or even occasionally pressing the bar mounted on the wall.
This paper contains the laboratory report that summarizes details about the Sniffy
program as well as the many steps for conducting operant conditioning with Sniffy the virtual

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
rat. Using the Sniffy program, we are able to train Sniffy’s operant behaviour to demonstrate
learning through basic operant conditioning.
Keywords: Sniffy, Virtual, Operant Conditioning, Skinner, Bar Pressing.
Aim
To establish a conditioned bar press response in the rat
Apparatus.
 The lab manual
 Sniffy Program and MAGTRAIN program (optional)
 Stop watch, or stop watch app on your phone
 Paper & pen
Methodology
The experiment was conducted with a class of undergraduate psychology students chosen
through convenience sampling. The students were required to work in teams of two
experimenters to each rat. The two were to agree on the role of each person and stick to the
job each one agrees to perform. For instance, when one is operating the apparatus and the
other one recording data.
In preparation for each Step, they were instructed to ensure that their equipment is operating
properly and have pieces of paper prepared to record data. For Step 1, they were not to
operate the food reinforcement delivery mechanism or press the bar. The essential first step
would be to measure the baseline level of the operant prior to any learning.
The experiment’s independent variable would be the different operant behaviours to be
reinforced and the dependent variable would be the total cumulative bar presses. There were

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
5 steps in total, Observation, Magazine training, Shaping, Conditioning and Extinction.
Students were asked to follow specific steps given to each pair to stimulate a live rat
experiment. The experiment was completed under the supervision of the tutor assigned to the
class.
Procedure.
Step 1. Observation. The students were required to place the rat gently in the box and
quietly close the lid and then observe its behaviour for 3 minutes, making notes on everything
it does minute by minute. The recordings were supposed to be specific for example "washes
genitals," "stands on hind legs," "sticks nose into corner," “scratches left side” and so forth.
At the bottom of the sheet, they were to summarize their observations by indicating the
number of different behaviours noted, the four most frequent, and the number of times each
occurred. In any case they would experience difficulty increasing the probability of a
response they were to tally (///// //, etc.) every time the rat touches the bar with his paw, and
in a separate column, every time it presses it. A press is arbitrarily defined as one that
produces a click in the apparatus. After observation, they were to record the Cumulative
response data in a table (see Table 8).
Step 2. Magazine training. Here, the rat was to go to a particular place (the magazine) for
his reinforcements. The requirement was to deliver one reinforcer at a time when the rat is
relatively inactive. The click and the sound of the reinforcement delivery might disrupt the rat
and it may take it a while to find the food. This was to continue as the rat consumes each
reinforcer and moves away before delivering the next one until a clear pattern of behaviour is
identified.
Step 3. Shaping. In this step the target was to condition the rat to press the bar in order to get
the reinforcement. Starting with behaviour only remotely resembling bar pressing, gradually
shifting to behaviour that come closer and closer to a true bar press. "Coaxing" was used to

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
get the rat closer than before in every subsequent reinforcement until the rat is at a point very
near the bar. Reinforcement would start when Sniffy faces the bar, then it was required to
stand up near the bar. For the next one, it was required to touch the bar; then to push it a bit;
and finally to press it to produce a click. This would take between five to ten minutes
depending on the skills of the students and the cooperation of the rat. Some behaviours would
be clear bar presses while others would be “almost-bar-presses” and both would be treated
them same way and the reinforcement given. The students were to record the bar presses in
the table (see Table 10).
Step 4. Conditioning. In this step they were to observe the increase in rate of the bar
pressing response. The apparatus were to be set so that reinforcement is delivered each time
the bar is pressed. This is called continuous reinforcement or sometimes CRF. Records of the
bar presses on a minute-by-minute and cumulative basis were to be made. They were to allow
the rat 20 minutes of reinforcement during which one of the experimenters would record
every incidence of any of the four most frequent behaviours noted and tabulated in Step 1.
After the rat has consumed the last reinforcement, discontinue conditioning was done.
Step 5. Extinction. At this point, the rat was fully conditioned. For the extinction step, the
students were instructed to select the "Experiment" command, and then select "Design
Operant Experiment" then click the "Extinction" checkbox. Under this procedure, Sniffy
would no longer get any reinforcement for pressing the bar. Sniffy should gradually stop
pressing the bar.
Step 6. Spontaneous recovery. Once the bar pressing response is extinguished, Sniffy’s
conditioned response is observed at a different time, may be after 24 hours. To finish up the
experiment, students were instructed to select the "Experiment" command, and then select
"Remove Sniffy for time out" and then click OK. This operation simulates having removed
Sniffy from the chamber for a 24 hour rest, and then returning him.

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
Results
Behavioural observations made were: cleaning face, sticking nose, grooming, standing up,
bar touching and bar pressing. Out of those the most frequent behaviours exhibited by Sniffy
was “standing on hind legs” and “cleaning genitals” with a total of 36 “standing up” and 22
“cleaning genitals” actions. Cleaning nose was 20 times and sticking nose into the corner was
12 times (see Table 7). Three bar touches were recorded in the first minute, then two then
three in the subsequent minutes with a cumulative total of 7 bar touches. Similarly, three bar
presses were recorded for the first minute, two bar presses for the second minute and 3 bar
presses was recorded for the third minute, with a cumulative total of 8 (refer to Table 8). Of
all the behavioural observations, standing on hint legs was the most frequent.
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Figure 9. The frequency of cumulative bar presses from magazine training to extinction.

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
Discussion and Conclusion
According to the analysis of the data collected and the graph above, the cumulative curve of
responses of the rat for the entire sequence shows a gradual increase in the conditioned
behaviour. The baseline (natural) behaviour that was exhibited initially gradually decreases
under the conditioned stimuli. The stages of extinction and spontaneous recovery can be used
to check the memory of the operand that is being conditioned. For instance, when Sniffy is
removed from the chamber for 24 hours and the procedure of conditioning is repeated
afterwards, this will show whether Sniffy can actually remember that procedure for bar
pressing for it to be reinforced (given food pellets).
In conclusion, Sniffy program allow the user to control, manipulate and modify several
aspects of the program to simulate operant conditioning according to the needs of the user.

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
References
Graham, J., Alloway, T., & Krames, L. (1994). Sniffy, the virtual rat: Simulated operant
conditioning. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 26(2), 134-141.
Pavlov, I. (1977). Classical conditioning. Learning and Instruction, 4, 26.
Skinner, B. F. (1935). Two types of conditioned reflex and a pseudo type. The Journal of
General Psychology, 12(1), 66-77.
Skinner, B. F. (1938). The behavior of organisms: an experimental analysis. Appleton-
Century. New York.
Alloway, T., Wilson, G., & Graham, J. (2011). Sniffy the virtual rat pro, version 3.0 (with
CD-ROM). Nelson Education.
Graham, J., & Alloway, T. (1995). Sniffy the virtual rat. Wadsworth Publishing Company.
Graf, S. A. (2008). Three nice labs, no real rats: A review of three operant laboratory
simulations. The Behavior Analyst, 18(2), 301-306.
Venneman, S. S., & Knowles, L. R. (2005). Sniffing out efficacy: Sniffy Lite, a virtual
animal lab. Teaching of Psychology, 32(1), 66-68.
Gredler, M. E. (2007). Games and simulations and their relationships to learning. Handbook
of research on educational communications and technology, 2, 571-581.
Lieberman, D. A. (2009). Learning: Behavior and cognition. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Elcoro, M., & Trundle, M. B. (2013). Student Preferences for Live versus Virtual Rats in a
Learning Course. International Journal for the Scholarship of teaching and learning, 7(1),
n1.
Lemmon, C., Lui, S. M., Cottrell, D., & Hamilton, J. (2012, October). Challenges to develop
an interactive 3D virtual world for psychological experiments. In Proceedings of the
European Conference on Games Based Learning (pp. 278-284).

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
Table 7: Behavioural Observations.
Observational Notes
First Minute
Cleaning face 7 times, sticks nose 4 times, grooming 5
times and standing up 15 times. Bar touching for 3 times,
pressed 3 times
Second Minute
Cleaning face 4 times, sticks nose 6 times, grooming 12
times and standing up 12 times. Bar touching for 2 times,
pressed 2 times
Third Minute
Cleaning face 9 times, sticks nose 2 times, grooming 5
times and standing up 9 times. Bar touching for 2 times,
pressed 3 times
Summary
Most Frequent Behaviours Frequency
1. Standing up 36
2. Washes genitals/grooming 22
3. Cleaning face 20

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
4. Sticks nose into corner 12
Total number of different behaviours 4
Number of bar presses observed 8
Table 8: Operant level of bar press response.
Minute Responses Cumulative Responses
Bar Touches Bar Presses Touch Press
1 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 5 5
3 2 3 7 8

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
Table 9: Magazine Training.
Minute Reinforcement Consumption Cumulative Responses
1 5 5
2 3 8
3 5 13
4 4 17
5 3 20
Table 10: Shaping the bar press response.
Bar Press
Minute Behaviours Reinforced in Shaping Responses Cum. Resp.
1 Come close to magazine 5 5
2 Come close to magazine 3 8
3 Stand on hind legs near magazine 5 13
4 Stand on hind legs near magazine 4 17
5 Sniffing pellet tray 3 20
6 Sniffing pellet tray 6 26

Running Head: SIMULATED OPERAND CONDITIONING
Table 11: Development of the Conditioned Response
Bar Press Observations Bar Press
Minute Responses Cum.
Resp.
and Notes Minute Responses Cum.
Resp
1 16 Scratches left side 21
2 18 Washes genitals 22
3 20 23
4 10 Washes genitals 24
5 12 Washes genitals 25
6 13 Scratches left side 26
7 13 27
8 17 28
9 15 29
10 11 Washes genitals 30
11 12 Washes genitals 31
12 9 Washes genitals 32
13 17 Scratches left side 33