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Research methods and skills

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Question 126

Ratting it out study description

Researchers investigated operant conditioning and spatial learning in rats.

Rats were trained to navigate a complex T-maze to locate a goal box.

The rats experienced one of the following conditions:

  • Condition A: A sugar pellet food reward was provided immediately every time the rat successfully navigated to the goal box
  • Condition B: A sugar pellet food reward was provided on a variable ratio schedule (averaging every 3 successful navigations)
  • Condition C: A sugar pellet food reward was provided on a fixed interval schedule (for the first successful navigation after 45 seconds had elapsed)
  • Condition D: A loud, highly unpleasant buzzer sound (85 dB) was played for 3 seconds whenever the rat entered an incorrect dead-end alleyway.

The mean time taken to navigate the maze (in seconds) and the mean number of errors (entering dead-end alleyways) during a 15-minute trial period were recorded.

Table 1: Performance of rats across the four reinforcement conditions

ConditionMean time taken to navigate the maze (seconds)Mean number of errors
Condition A453.5
Condition B251.2
Condition C605.8
Condition D958.2

Using the study description, explain one ethical consideration that the researchers of the "Ratting it out" study would have had to consider when conducting their investigation.

[2]

Research methods and skills Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Psychology
  3. /Research methods and skills

Practise Edexcel A Level Psychology Research methods and skills with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 657 questions covering Research methods and skills, matched to the Edexcel A Level Psychology (9PS0) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.

Question bank