Elena conducted a laboratory experiment using mice to investigate how different schedules of reinforcement affect the rate of operant response. Ahead of her investigation, she secured the necessary Home Office licences for animal research. She randomly allocated the mice to one of two conditions: Group A received food pellets on a fixed-interval schedule, while Group B received food pellets on a variable-interval schedule. Elena then registered the total number of lever presses made by each mouse during a 15-minute conditioning trial in a Skinner box.
State the independent variable (IV) and dependent variable (DV) for Elena's study.
205 exam-style questions on Edexcel A Level Psychology Content, covering Main features of classical conditioning, Pavlov (1927) salivation in dogs, Main features of operant conditioning, Properties of reinforcement, Behaviour modification and shaping, Main features of social learning theory, Social learning stages, Bandura (1961, 1963) Bobo doll experiments, Bandura (1965) vicarious reinforcement, Learning theories and phobias, Treatments for phobias, Individual differences, and Developmental psychology. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.