Abstract
Peoples’ behaviors are many and complex; people are known to cheat, lie, and sometimes kill. Long before even human started to gain interest in studying human behaviors field such as theology, philosophy, and psychology focus was to explain human behavior. However, in the resent past, the development of scientific methods and tools scientists have put in place systematic procedures to be used in the study of human behavior. In this light, scholars and researcher have developed theories that tend to explain human behavior. This theories can be broadly be classified into, behavioral theories, cognitive theories, humanist theories, personality theories, and among others that aim at explaining specific behaviors. For instance, behavioral theories hold that behaviors are traits acquired under given conditioning. Implying that, when people are subjected to given conditions they tend to behavior in a given way that can be explained by the conditions they are in.
Behavior refers to the physical movement sand physiological processes that make an organism exhibit certain traits when interacting with the surrounding (Colman, 2006). Essentially, scholars as Yeap in 2009 argue that the behavior can be observed, measured, and analyzed; it is possible to study animal behavior. In addition, he states that the behavior study can be based on either duration or density. In general, behaviors especially those of people are complex and pose many challenges to explain (Robinson, 2007). In this light, laboratories are applying research method to try to explain peoples’ behavior in a more explicitly manner. According to Halonen et al. in 2007, students are expected to learn research methods and most important apply them in the study of psychology. In other words, the learners should be exposed directly to the subject tmate in order to understand literature study of behavior.
Today, laboratories use non-human subjects, especially small animals like rats, mouse, and among others, to conduct research in different disciplines (Cunningham, 2003). However, in the recent past the animal laboratories are reducing in popularity because of a number of reasons. To be more specific, laboratories are expensive to operate, poses ethical issue sand the formulated federal regulation seem so suffocate them. Researchers and scientists who use animals in study face opposition from animal activists who believe that it is unethical and being cruel to use them for study. In addition, online learners are disadvantaged on a system that solely relies on animal-based type of research. It is impossible to have a hand on animal laboratory online.
In the attempt to deal with the issues and challenges that are related to animal-based type of research, scientists have sort to look for alternative means that make use of computer programs to study the behavior in disciplines like psychology. For instance, Sniffy the virtual Rat, usually referred as Sniffy, is a computer programs that was created in 1991 solely to solve challenges that are faced with animal labs (Alloway, Wilson, & Graham, 2005). Since 1991, Sniff program has been revised at least three times to enhance its accuracy in the study of animal behavior.
Recently, according to Allow et al. (2005), there is a land scaping shift of the methods employed by the lecturer to tutor the students. Further more, it is explained that more of learning encourage the use of mainly lecture-based study that do not use physical laboratories. On the same note, Vinemontand Knowles in 2005 conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of Sniffy; it was found that the program enhanced batter understanding of concepts learned in class among the student. In addition, the students who used Sniffy in their study performed better in class compared to their counterparts that did not.
Most behavior studies in physiology use the principles of operant conditions, which are provided within laboratory environment. Operant conditions are important because they allow researchers to make observations on the subject under study within conditions that are comparable to that of natural habitat. This observation can be can be made either with or without the intervention. However, regardless of the category of observation it is always important to state variables involved in observation. These variables must be stated with precision. For instance, the observation may choose to define physical conditions as temperature. In such a case, the temperature range and units used must be stated with be precision. In addition, the variables stated should be reliable to give valid data.
As stated above, variables define the operant conditions of an observation. Operant condition creates desired environment for study of Sniffy. In essence, they reinforce the happening of a given condition or behavior. For instance, Sniffy’s bar-press is rewarded with the food pellet as an operant condition. Consequently, Sniffy may acquire this behavior because of there ward. Note that that this behavior has to be learned by first training Sniffy. Sniffy behavior can be reinforced differently: Continuous Reinforcement (CRF) Schedule or Partial Reinforcement (PRF) Schedule. CRF means that Sniffy is reward every time he touches the lever bar while PRF Schedule mean he is rewarded on touching the bar, however not at all times. Normally, PRF Schedule can be either Fixed Ratio (FR) schedule, Variable Ratio (VR) schedule, Fixed Interval (FI) schedule or Variable Interval (VI) schedule. Where the word ‘ratio’ is used to mean, a number of times Sniffy touches the lever bar while ‘interval’ means the time or duration that must elapse before a reward is be given. On the other hand, ‘fixed’ means precise time before rewarding while ‘varied’ means that the number of presses is within a given range, but not specific.
Recently, there are concerns that Sniffy program need to be improved in order to relate true behavior of animals (Jakubow, 2007; Tomanari & E kerman, 2003; Venneman & Knowles, 2005). According to Jakub, 2007 Sniffy is adequate and user-friendly but that is not enough justification that his behavior can be compared to that of a life animal. For instance, the program is choppy and exhibit limited characteristics of an animal; that are complex and many.
Despite the challenges, Sniffy can be used to measure the number of observations in animals to describe the behavior. However, it is important to mention that this report are a study on Sniffy the Virtual Rat that was analyzed using shock as the independent variable and suppression as the depended variable. Essentially, the paper will be evaluating extinction behavior.
- The physical environment influences Sniffy’s behavior and so is to human behavior.
- Sniffy behaviors are subject to extinction through a process, so is human behavior.
MethodSubjectSniffy was used as a study subject. The program in question uses a virtual rat in a virtual lab without using rat (animal) as in a traditional lab.ApparatusComputer was used to run the program.ProcedureThe Sniffy program was run, and the cumulative record and operant windows were started. The rat was trained by pressing a lever for him every time he climbed on the wall near the lever or sniffed around the lever. When Sniffy pushes the lever more than four times, it is a confirmation that he has learned the behavior.An operant experiment with an RF2 schedule was run when Sniffy pushed the lever twice and was continued for sub sequent push.Introduce shock for Sniffy when he pushes the lever the fifth time.Then reverse the extinction by taking away the shock.Observe how Sniffy reacts with withdrawal of the shock.
Results
A continuous positive response was register for every sub sequent RF2 schedule.When sniffy was shocked the first time, he did not try to hit the lever any more although the condition was reversed.Discussionnotably, a continuous positive response was register for every sub sequent RF2 schedule. The results how that the number of responses increased in between responses this is associated to bar-food and action strength decrease. However, at the fifth time the shock caused extinction of behavior for Sniffy. Essentially, it is observed Sniffy stop pad hitting the lever because the kind of behavior that was expected was no longer provided. Therefore, it can be deducted that extinction of behavior is possible in animals. A swell, extinction is possible in humans and can be used to change behavior in children and people. With drawing rewards are likely to extinct behavior. For instance, if each time a child cried she/she get your attention can be reverse you decide not to give him/her any attention. However, Cooper et al. (2007) states that reversing of behavior cannot be reversed at once as shown by Sniffy. Reversing behavior requires some process and time.
The most obvious limitation for this study is the sample size, this report is based on only one case study. In addition, the fact that a computer program was used to study behavior might have resulted into erroneous deduction on behavior. Despite all other limitations, this programs has been designed to mimic a live rad and therefore can be used to make general deductions on behavior. Consequently, Sniffy the virtual rat gives a new plat form for scientists to explore and provide a possibility to carry out research without the need of having an animal laboratory.
References
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Cunningham, P. F. (2003). Animal use, student choice, and nonanimal alternatives at “America’s
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Robinson, W. C. (2007, August). Operational Definitions. Retrieved July 15, 2009, from William C Robinson's Home Page: http://web.utk.edu/~wrobinso/540_lec_opdefs.html
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