A researcher would like to demonstrate how different schedules of reinforcement

Question

A researcher would like to demonstrate how different schedules of reinforcement can influence behavior. The two separate groups of rats are trained to press a bar in order to receive a food pellet. One group is trained using a fixed ratio schedule where they receive one pellet for every 10 presses of the bar. The second group is trained using a fixed interval schedule where they receive one pellet for the first bar press that occurs within a 30 second interval. Note that the second group must wait 30 seconds before another pellet is possible no matter how many times the bar is pressed. After 4 days of training, the researcher records the response rate (number of presses per minute) for each rat. The results are summarized as follows: (10 points).

Fixed Ratio                                      Fixed Interval

n = 4                                                    n = 8

M = 30                                               M = 18

SS = 90                                             SS = 150

Does this data indicate that there is a significant difference in responding to these two reinforcement schedules? Test at the .05 level of significance.

Explanation / Answer

Given that,
mean(x)=30
standard deviation , s.d1=9.4868
number(n1)=4
y(mean)=18
standard deviation, s.d2 =12.2474
number(n2)=8
null, Ho: u1 = u2
alternate, H1: u1 != u2
level of significance, = 0.05
from standard normal table, two tailed t /2 =3.18
since our test is two-tailed
reject Ho, if to < -3.18 OR if to > 3.18
we use test statistic (t) = (x-y)/sqrt(s.d1^2/n1)+(s.d2^2/n2)
to =30-18/sqrt((89.99937/4)+(149.99881/8))
to =1.87
| to | =1.87
critical value
the value of |t | with min (n1-1, n2-1) i.e 3 d.f is 3.18
we got |to| = 1.8684 & | t | = 3.18
make decision
hence value of |to | < | t | and here we do not reject Ho
p-value: two tailed ( double the one tail ) - Ha : ( p != 1.8684 ) = 0.159
hence value of p0.05 < 0.159,here we do not reject Ho
ANSWERS
---------------
null, Ho: u1 = u2
alternate, H1: u1 != u2
test statistic: 1.87
critical value: -3.18 , 3.18
decision: do not reject Ho
p-value: 0.159
we do not have enough evidence to support the claim that
there is a significant difference in responding to these two reinforcement schedules

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