"Benjamin" <Benjamin from verizon.net> wrote in message
news:iUmSh.1726$OU1.1050 from trndny04...
> "Glen M. Sizemore" <gmsizemore2 from yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:4618d1a3$0$22574$ed362ca5 from nr2.newsreader.com...> | <sigh>
> | [...]
>> Thank You for your Work.
>> My interpretation of the experimental
> design you posted is below.
>> I'm probably going to go-head with
> this interpretation, so, if it's incorrect,
> please Correct it.
>> 0. Start of the trial --------------
> - both keys are illuminated white.
>> 1. Peck left -----------------------
> - right key out
> - t sec delay
>> - [ken: Does t, above, vary trial-to-trial? If so, this's problem-
> - atical, because the other 'times' are fixed -- so, in the =overall=
> - training millieux, the 'randomly'-pre-Determined-trials actually
> - alter the non-pre-Determined 'times'.]
No, t does not vary from trial to trial. Why, BTW would it be
"problematical" if it did? Yes, it might alter the behavior of the animal,
but why "problematical"?
>> - Left-key is now green
> - peck flashing-green
> - 4.0 s delay
> - 12.0 s access to food
> - 8.0 s inter-trial interval -
> - back to start
>> 2. Peck right ----------------------
> - left key out
> - t sec delay
> - right-key is either red or green:
>> -- If red:
> --- green key out
> --- red key flashes
> --- 1.0 s delay
> --- 3.0 s access to food
> --- 20.0 s inter-trial interval
> --- back to start.
>> -- If Green:
> --- red key out
> --- green key flashes
> --- 4.0 s delay
> --- 12.0 s access to food
> --- 8.0 s inter-trial interval
> --- back to start [0.]
>> 3. Embedded general Experimenter-
> Determined training ----------------
> ---- In addition, periodically,
> ---- there are pre-Determined trials
> ---- where the animal has to
> ---- sample the contingencies
> ---- programmed for one choice.
>> [ken: I 'presume' that the above periodicity is 'random', which is
> problematical, because the other 'times' are fixed -- so, in the
> =overall= training millieux, the 'randomly'-pre-Determined-trials
> actually alter the non-pre-Determined 'times'.]
Not sure what you are driving at here. The forced trials are identical to
the other trials, it is just that certain options are unavailable. The birds
would be forced to sample one or both of the options, especially when t is
changed. Again, I'm not sure "problematical" is a good term to use. Anyway,
you seem to have the procedure correct.
>> Questions --------------------------
> Given n trials, in each trial,
>> Q1. Which keys does the animal peck?
>> Q2. What happens, if anything,
> as a function of in-trial changes?
>> End of my interpretation of Dr. Sizemore's
> experimental design.
>> k. p. collins
>>