Day 13 - FR15

Time: 30:00

Protocol ID: 23 (FR15)

Event 1 Total: 376

Reinforcement Total: 25 +17 bonus jackpot

Goal: 250+ bar presses; Press bar 8 consecutive times

Goal Reached: Yes!; Yes! (14 times in a row)

Although Rat did well on FR12 and VR12, I'm a little nervous about this jump to FR15 today.

Before I had even closed the door, she was already on the bar (albeit she didn't press it). First press was ~1:30 (later than usual).

Initially spent about 2:00 exploring the box; she has never done this before other than when shaping and maybe FR1. First series of bar presses was 5 in a row. Second series of bar presses was 14 in a row!

To keep her enthused, I am going to start "jackpoting" her (as mentioned by Pryor), giving two or three reinforcements at a time, if she presses the bar 5 or more times in a row to conclude the 15 total needed without "exploring" the magazine.

By "jackpoting" her, I am hoping to reinforce not only pressing the bar 15 times but doing so quickly. In order to get across what I want her to do, I am being very liberal in awarding "jackpot" reinforcements.

Pattern is emerging: after reinforcement she will press the bar 6-8 times, pause & look at the magazine, press until 12-14 times total, explore the magazine, press the remaining number of times necessary. Repeat.

She will occasionally double, triple, or even quadruple press the bar, shifting her weight from right to left quickly

I AM THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED. This is the absolute best she has ever done. I am going to have to go an extra three or so days before I extinct her. Neither she nor I am ready to be finished yet!