Sniffy the Virtual Rat, Lite Version

by Alloway, Tom; Wilson, Greg; Graham, Jeff

• ISBN13: 9780534358693
• ISBN10: 0534358691
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Digital
• Copyright: 1999-12-20
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

The new Lite Version of the famous Sniffy software simulates the elementary phenomena of operant and classical conditioning that are discussed in courses on the Psychology of Learning and in Introductory Psychology courses. Sniffy, a realistic digital rat in an operant chamber (Skinner Box), gives students hands-on experience setting up and conducting experiments. Users begin by training Sniffy to press a bar to obtain food and progress to studying reinforcement schedules and simple classical conditioning. In addition, a series of "Mind Windows" enable students to visualize how Sniffy's experiences in the Skinner Box produce the psychological changes that their textbooks discuss in connection with the phenomena simulated. The Sniffy, Lite Version CD-ROM comes packaged in the front of a brief, hands-on Lab Manual that walks users through the steps that they need to follow to set up a wide variety of operant and classical conditioning experiments that closely resemble experiments discussed in learning texts.

Table of Contents

Preface: Installing and Running Sniffy Lite	ix
Acknowledgments	xiv
Introduction to Sniffy	1	(6)
Why We Created Sniffy	1	(1)
How We Created Sniffy, the Animated Creature	2	(1)
Sniffy, the Program	2	(2)
Sniffy Is a Learning Tool, Not a Research Tool	4	(1)
Applying What You Learn from Sniffy	5	(2)
Introduction to Operant Conditioning	7	(10)
Edward Thorndike	7	(1)
B. F. Skinner	8	(3)
The Operant Chamber	11	(2)
Reinforcement and Punishment	13	(4)
Basic Operant Phenomena: Magazine Training, Shaping, Extinction, Spontaneous Recovery, and Secondary Reinforcement	17	(28)
Important Technical Notice	17	(1)
A First Look at Sniffy Lite	18	(2)
Operant Conditioning: Technique	20	(1)
Magazine Training	21	(2)
Shaping: Teaching Sniffy to Press the Bar	23	(4)
Cumulative Records: Visualizing Sniffy's Bar-Press Performance	27	(3)
Accelerating Time	30	(1)
(Optional). Training Real Animals	31	(3)
Extinction	34	(4)
Secondary Reinforcement	38	(2)
Spontaneous Recovery	40	(2)
Copying and Pasting the Contents of a Sniffy Lite Window	42	(3)
Schedules of Reinforcement and the Partial-Reinforcement Effect	45	(16)
Background and Examples	45	(4)
Variable-Ratio (VR) and Variable-Interval (VI) Schedules	49	(1)
Fixed-Ratio (FR) Schedules	50	(1)
Fixed-Interval (FI) Schedules	50	(1)
Setting Up a Schedule in the Design Operant Experiment Dialogue Box	51	(1)
Placing Sniffy on a Small VR Schedule	52	(2)
Increasing the Value of Sniffy's VR Schedule	54	(2)
Variable-Interval Schedules	56	(1)
Fixed-Ratio Schedules	56	(1)
Fixed-Interval Schedules	57	(1)
How Realistic Are Sniffy's Schedule Performances?	57	(1)
The Effect of Partial Reinforcement on Extinction	58	(3)
Introduction to Classical Conditioning	61	(22)
Background	61	(1)
The Conditioned Emotional Response (CER)	62	(2)
The Design Classical Conditioning Experiment Dialogue Box	64	(4)
The Sensitivity & Fear Mind Window	68	(1)
The CS Response Strength Mind Window	68	(1)
The Suppression-Ratio Window	69	(1)
The Cumulative Record During Classical Conditioning	70	(1)
How to Get Reliable, Comparable Results	70	(1)
Putting Everything Together to Understand Classical Conditioning	71	(1)
Exporting Your Results to Other Programs	72	(2)
Time-Saving Hints	74	(1)
Basic Acquisition	75	(3)
Extinction	78	(2)
Spontaneous Recovery	80	(3)
APPENDIX 1 User's Guide to Commands and Dialogue Boxes	83	(8)
The File Menu	83	(1)
The Edit Menu	84	(1)
The Experiment Menu	85	(4)
Design Operant Experiment	85	(1)
Remove Sniffy for Time-Out	86	(1)
Design Classical Conditioning Experiment	87	(1)
Run Classical Conditioning Experiment	87	(1)
Isolate Sniffy (Accelerate Time)	88	(1)
Show Sniffy	88	(1)
The Windows Menu	89	(2)
APPENDIX 2 How to Manage Your Sniffy Lite Files	91	(19)
Floppy Disks and Hard Disks	91	(2)
Deciding Where to Save Your Files	93	(2)
Getting Easy Access to the Sniffy Lite Program and Your Sniffy Lite Files from Your Computer Desktop	95	(2)
Creating a Windows Shortcut	95	(1)
Creating a Macintosh Alias	96	(1)
Saving Files	97	(5)
Saving Files in Windows	97	(3)
Saving Files on a Macintosh	100	(2)
Opening Files	102	(3)
Opening Files in Windows	102	(1)
Opening Files on a Macintosh	103	(2)
Copying Files from a Hard Disk to a Floppy Disk	105	(2)
Instructions for Windows Users	105	(1)
Instructions for Macintosh Users	106	(1)
Copying Files from a Floppy Disk to a Hard Disk	107	(1)
Instructions for Windows Users	107	(1)
Instructions for Macintosh Users	107	(1)
Using Sniffy Lite for Macintosh Files on a Windows PC and Vice Versa	108	(2)
References	110	(2)
Index	112