Draft 1-Classical conditioning through mice and mazes

This topic submitted by Rachel Dehart, Amanda Gibson, Liz Miller (gibsona1@muohiuo.edu) at 1:38 am on 10/4/01. Additions were last made on Wednesday, February 12, 2003. Section: Dorsey

Student Generated Lab Proposal
Introduction
For our student generated lab, our group has decided to use mice, to try and teach them to run two different mazeÕs by using three different stimuli, consisting of sound, color and shapes. Through the lab we want to prove that by using classical conditioning, we can "teach" the mice to complete two different cardboard mazeÕs. We are going to teach them with one maze using classical conditioning, then we are going to use the independent stimuli, the color, shapes and sounds, to teach them a different maze. We hope to figure out which stimuli the mice are more receptive to, color, sound or shapes. We also have a control mouse that we will use to see if it can teach itself the two different mazeÕs without classical conditioning or additional stimuli. We find this research interesting because of our interest in animals and the way in which they learn.
Relevance of Our Research
There has been many studies done on mice and mazes, but we didnÕt find any studies on how if different stimuli can actually teach a mouse to run a maze. Research done by Tolman though is near what we are studying. In his experiment, rats were allowed to explore a maze, which had multiple paths of different distanced to the same destination. After the rats were familiar, Tolman began to block off sections of the lab, and then observing the rats behavior. He was thrilled to see that the rats did not retrace their steps, instead remembered the maze and chose to go a different root to get to the end. This showed that the rats were learning and not just repeating pre-performed steps. Most studies had to do with teaching mice to run mazes through classical and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is a learning process first described by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. He discovered it accidentally through an experiment on digestion. Making conclusions by observing that salivation would begin before the food was eaten. Thus the dog would predict that he would eat, and when the bell sounded, he would no that it was time to start salivating. This is similar to our idea of using sound to teach one of our mice. The idea that when a bell rings you turn right and when there is a clap you proceed left. These games or variations are occasionally played with children in order to learn directions. Operant conditioning is corresponds to ThorndikeÕs research. Thorndikes experimented with cats and dogs; specifically their behavior when attempting to free themselves from uncomfortable situations. Thorndike measured their intelligence by placing the animals in a box multiple times and recording their escape strategies. Through repetition the animals began to escape quicker, using the strategy which freed them previously. Thorndike states, "When an animal finds itself in the same position again it is more likely to perform the same action againÉReward acts to strengthen stimulus-response associations." Thorndike also developed a law of effect which states, "Of several responses made to the same situation those which are accompanied or closely followed by satisfaction to the animal will, other things being equal, be more firmly connected with the situation, so that, when it recurs, they will be more likely to recur; those which are accompanied or closely followed by discomfort to the animal will, other things being equal, have their connections to the situation weakened, so that, when it recurs, they will be less likely to occur. The greater the satisfaction or discomfort, the greater the strengthening or weakening of the bond." In classical conditioning a neutral stimulus relates directly with a reflex. When trial and error with a reward is involved, (like our lab), no reflex is involved. It theorizes that we learn at an early age how to "operate" in our environment to get rewards and how to avoid punishment or negative consequences. Reinforcements are rewards that increase the likelihood that we will repeat the behavior, these include; primary reinforcers, secondary reinforcers, positive reinforcers, negative reinforcers, and finally punishment.
Materials and Methods
The intention of our experiment is twofold. We want to know whether mice
are capable of responding to, and remembering the stimuli of shape, color
and sound. We also want to discover which of the stimuli is most
effective. By utilizing the components of classical conditioning, we hope
to discover the capabilities of miceÕs memory and reasoning.
To execute the experiment, we have purchased four female mice. We will
build two separate cardboard mazes in which we will place the mice. They
will be placed in the first maze five times a week for three weeks. This
maze will contain the three stimuli of shape, color and sound to encourage
the mice to move in the correct directions that will lead them to the end of
the maze. The stimuli will be reinforced with slices of cheese that will
be placed out of sight from the mice (around a corner of the maze). The stimuli will be presented to the mice at places in the mazes where two
directional options exist. The shapes, colors and sounds that are
presented will signify which direction is correct and which direction is
wrong. For shapes, a white triangle will signify the correct direction to
choose, and a white circle will signify the wrong. For colors, yellow will
represent the correct direction and red, the wrong. For sound we will clap for a left turn and ring a bell for a right turn. The effectiveness of the stimuli can be determined by recording how many times the mice choose the correct direction. The cheese will reinforce the correct stimuli. We hypothesize that of the three stimuli, color will be the most effective. One of the mice will be used as a control, and will not be exposed to either the cheese or the stimuli. We will record the time it takes for each mouse to complete her journey through the maze. On the fourth week of the experiment, we will place the mice in a second, different maze. For five consecutive days we will time the mice as they go through the maze. This last week will test whether the mice can respond to the stimuli to determine which direction to turn to complete the maze. Again the control mouse will not use any stimuli in running the maze. Through this process we will determine if the mice can actually remember colors, shapes and sounds, and also which stimuli is the
strongest. We hypothesize that the mice exposed to the stimuli and the
cheese in the first three weeks of the experiment will complete the second
maze more quickly than the control mouse that was not exposed to the
stimuli.
We will have class help us collect data by helping us run the mice through the mazes and to help us chart the progress of each mouse and its stimuli. Included at the back of our proposal you will our data collecting sheet for the times it takes for the mouse to complete the maze.
Works Cited
Hill, W. (1985). Learning: A survey of psychological interpretations. (4th. Ed.). New York: Harper and Row.
Petty, R., & Cacioppo, J. (1981). Attitudes and persuasion: Classic and Contemporary approaches. Dubuque, IA: William C. Brown
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http://www.dushkin.com/connectext/psy/ch06/bio6.mhtml
http://www.arlington.k12.va.us/schools/wakefield/animbehv/maze.html

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