Ch2: Behavioural Analysis of Drug Effects

Question 1

Independent Variable

Answer 1

Manipulated event in an experiment

Question 2

Dependent Variable

Answer 2

Observed or measured event in an experiment

Question 3

Three-groups design

Answer 3

When new drug is undergoing clinical trials - 3 groups:

1) Experimental drug to be tested
2) Placebo drug
3) Established drug with known therapeutic benefits

Question 4

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 4

Increases behaviour when they are given/applied following the behaviour’s occurrence

Question 5

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 5

Increases behaviour when they are removed/prevented following the behaviour’s occurrence

Question 6

Primary Reinforcer

Answer 6

A stimulus that acts as a reinforcer without prior experience (i.e., it is rewarding in and of itself)

Question 7

Secondary Reinforcer

Answer 7

i.e. conditioned reinforcer. Acquires its reinforcing properties through classical conditioning when it is paired with a primary reinforcer

Question 8

Fixed Ratio (FR) Schedule

Answer 8

Animal is required to make a fixed number of responses in order to be reinforced.

Eg. on FR 30 schedule, every 30th response produces reinforcement

Question 9

Variable Ratio (VR) Schedule

Answer 9

Number of required responses varies from reinforcer to reinforcer, so that at any given time the occurrence of a reinforced response cannot be predicted.

Eg. VR 30 schedule will produce reinforcement after every 30 responses, on average

Question 10

Fixed Interval (FI) Schedule

Answer 10

Response is reinforced only after a fixed time has elapsed

Eg. FI 3 - animal must wait 3 minutes after the delivery of reinforcement for a response to be reinforced again

Question 11

Variable Interval (VI) Schedule

Answer 11

The interval during which the animal is required to wait before a behaviour is reinforced varies.

Eg. VI 2 - interval is an average of 2 minutes long

Question 12

Avoidance-Escape Task

Answer 12

Avoid and escape aversive stimuli.

Animal is presented with stimulus (eg buzzer/light) as a warning that a shock is coming. The warning comes several seconds before the shock. If the animal makes a response during that time, the warning stimulus is turned off and the shock never comes (i.e. the avoidance of shock).

If the animal does not respond to the warning stimulus, the shock turns on, and the animal can escape the shock by responding (i.e. escape of shock).

Question 13

Progressive Ratio (PR) Schedule of Reinforcement

Answer 13

Subject is required to work for a drug infusion on an FR schedule that consistently becomes more demanding.

Eg. the schedule may start at FR 5. After the first drug reinforcement is received, it changes to FR 10, then FR 20.

Breaking point - demand of the schedule is too high and animal stops responding

Question 14

Conditioned Place Preference (CPP)

Answer 14

Uses long box that has two distinctive halves separated by partition. Rats are confined to one half of the box after being given an injection of a drug and they experience the effects there. Placebo rats on other side of the box. Later, the partition is removed and rats are placed in the center and free to wander. Amount of time spent in each half is recorded. Rats will spend more time in the half of the box that has been associated with the reinforcing effects of the drug.

CPP develops bc the location where the drug was experienced becomes a conditioned stimulus that evokes the reinforcing effects of the drug.

Question 15

Methods of measuring behaviour in humans

Answer 15

• Rating scales: collects subjective data
• Drug state discrimination
• Perception: measures the acuity of senses (i.e., sight and hearing)
• Motor performance: simple reaction time (RT) test, complex reaction time (CRT) test
• Attention & vigilance: Mackworth clock test, detect when clock hands moves two steps rather than one
• Memory
• Response inhibition: go-no go task, go-stop task
• Driving