Hamster Maze Project(Proposal)

Introduction / Background Information

Hamsters are the small type animal which they are included in rodents family, and are the

excellent pet. They also have unique characteristics consist of the outpouching of the checks on

both side of their mouth, and paired glands in their skin over the flanks. In the wild, hamsters

will use their pouch to store their food and consume later. This would be known in the

experiment to the hamsters that it need to be hungry or not being full before the experiment

begin or else the hamsters will not try to find food because they are having it left in their mouth

or being full already (Quesenberry, n.d.). Thus, before the experiment begin, the food of the

hamsters will be reduced in order to let the animal not being too full. Since many of scientists are

doing many of the experiment on hamster about their memory or their ability to learn which this

leads to the experiment of Can the use of picture to stimulates the hamsters.

In this experiment, focusing on whether the picture can stimulate the learning processes

of the hamster by using counter conditioning. The counter conditioning is a type of treatment

which will help to replace obnoxious responses to a stimulus with more pleasant. By using the

counter conditioning it not only helps the rat remove the anxiety feeling toward the picture, but

also remove an uncomfortable feeling with the human that approach the hamsters . Also, the

operant conditioning with only be used in terms of the positive reinforcement to make the

hamster run to the path with the picture. The positive reinforcement is the expanding of a

reinforcing stimulus following a behavior that makes it further likely that the behavior will occur

again in the future.

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 During the experiment, one picture will be given to one of the hamsters while another

will not have any of the pictures. The picture will be given on the side that having the food,

however, in the control group even the food will give at the same side as the experimental group;

they will need to take a guess which of the following side of the door will have the food. This

experiment is vital because it is the answer to how effective the picture can stimulate the learning

process of the hamsters which this information can also use for the further research. Thus, the

hypothesis of the experiment is that if the hamsters are stimulated by the picture, then it escapes

the maze faster.

Literature review:

According to Chamizo, Sterio, and Macintosh, the experiment is conducted using the

operant conditioning to teach the rat to run on the elevated maze. During this experiment, they

divide their maze into two parts consist of the intra-maze cues and the extra-maze cues. The

major difference of this two mazes are the way to the reward of intra-maze cue will either floor

with sandpaper or rubber, while, in the extra-maze cue they will using the correct arm that sticks

with either sandpaper or rubber(Chamizo, Sterio, and Macintosh, 2007). Meaning that the rat

need to take the hint that the way to the reward will alway have either sandpaper or rubber.

Since, in this experiment, they set their experiment in three trials for both groups of rat. In the

first trial, pre-trained rats with intra-maze cue have less development than the non pretrained rats

which means that the intra-maze cues cannot overshadow the extra maze cue. Similarly, in the

second experiment pre-trained cannot get the hint from the intra-maze cues which this can

confirm that the intra-maze cue cannot overshadow to the extra-maze cues. However, in the third

trial, they pre-train the rat with the extra maze cue first which the result is excellent because the

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rat gets hint from the extra maze cue. Thus, they can conclude that the animal can learn from the

extra maze cue more than the intra-maze cue. In contrast, the result of this experiment is despite

of the fact that the rat will learn faster on the intra maze cues than the extra maze cue.

Even though, their experiment clearly stated what they have done and the result is also

stated clearly. However, in this experiment they are not introduce the comprehensible

vocabularies, for instance, intra and extra maze cue. Instead they just give the different between

intra and extra maze cue. Also, in this experiment, they have not mention about the time that they

used for training the rats. Thus, this cause problems because it will be hard for other researchers

or scientists to use this information for furthermore research or to follow their experiment. Since

this experiment is about overshadowing the rat which is related to the Hamster Maze Project

which will be focusing on the ways that they are use to overshadow the rat. But, instead of using

rat, the correct arm and flooring the maze, this experiment will be conducted by using the

hamster and picture stimuli instead.

This experiment is conducted by Burwell about a maze with picture on the floor for rats

to look at. Due to Lashleys studies of mechanism of vision, rat tends to pay more attention to the

stimuli on the ground than stimuli putting otherwhere else since they can see clearer on the lower

visual field. In this experiment, they compared the time that rats used to be until they were able

to learn the maze either the visual stimuli putting on the floor or the stimuli on the wall

(Orenstein, 2014). At the end of an experiment, the result was the rats showed that they were

able to react better to the stimuli that were projected or present on the floor than the stimuli that

appeared on the wall or higher ground. On this experiment, the author did not explain about the

vocabulary that seems to be too complicated to other people that have no knowledge about the

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experiment, for example, retinal ganglion cells and photoreceptors in the upper

retina(Orenstein, 2014) which the author did not mention the meaning or clarify what the words

are. They also mentioned Lashleys classic studies on the mechanisms of vision but didnt state

clearly what the studies is about and that can make the reader confused. Also, they not mention

about the amount of trial that they have done when doing this experiment. This experiment was

related to the Hamster Maze Project by this experiment showed about using the stimuli that were

visible to the eyes and the test subjects of that experiment were rodents which is related to this

Hamster Maze Project. Means of, the Hamster Maze Project will also use the picture with the

rodent. However, instead of using the rats, projecting the picture on the floor, the Hamster Maze

Project will use the hamster, and putting the picture at the door. Also, the Hamster Maze Project

will be more focusing on the learning process of the hamster.

Both experiments are reach an agreement on using the picture to stimuli the rats. Also,

they both agreed that the pictures could grab the attention of the rats. However, Chamizo, Sterio,

and Macintosh were more focus on the learning development of the rats while Burwell was more

focus on the idea that the rat can gain more attention on the pictures that are on the floor. Also,

Chamizo, Sterio, and Macintosh are showing more accurate result by conducting the experiment

for three trials, while for Burwell didnt include how many trials that Burwell has done. Since,

the more experiments have been conducted; the more accurate the result is. Thus, this make the

experiment result of Chamizo, Sterio, and Macintosh is more reliable than the result from

Burwell.

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Material:

Maze Part:

- Future Board: the maze should be waterproof and strong for the experimental animals, so

future board is the material that are used to build the way of the maze

- Wood: Use wood as the based because the wood is very strong matter and can be find

commonly.

- Tape: the tape is for stick the card sleeve on the wood.

- Plastic sheet: This plastic sheet will use for covering the top of the maze.

- Pictures: for stimuli the hamster

- Hamster food: providing the normal hamster food to the hamster.

- Hinge: Stick the hinge with the woods to produce some small doors.

- Cage: Use the cage to keep the hamsters in place.

- Card sleeves: Use the card sleeves to insert the pictures.

- Eco Bond Glue: Use this glue to stick all of the materials

- Nails: Sticking the wood

- Screwdriver: for screwing the nail with the hinge.

Animal Part

- 2 male hamsters

- The reason for choosing two male hamsters because to have one control group

and one experimental group, which using the picture stimuli to the experimental

group.

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Methodology:

Maze design :

Figure 1:

Before the experiment start, the maze should be created before so the experiment can be

proceed. The multiple-T maze is the chosen design of maze in this experiment which the

multiple T-maze is maze make by combining many T letters together as in figures 1. The reason

that the T-maze design is chosen cause by its efficiency in the multiple T-maze is easy to

measure because it has a clear right or wrong answer. The multiple T-maze is really ambitious

for hamsters. As in Tolman and Hoznik experiment that they are using 14 units multiple T maze

to test the degree of hunger in rats which hamster and rat are also in rodent. Thus, this source is

reliable use with hamster. Also, it can confirm that the maze is effective and ambitious for

hamster.

In the next step, after the design of the maze has been done, two different mazes will be

build. The first and the second maze will have different ending points because this will guarantee

that the experimental hamster can exit the maze by picture stimuli but not remembering the

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direction. Also, both maze will make by wood and futureboard that having dark color. Since both

materials are really strong and also can resist to the water. Thus, this will also guarantee that the

maze will not be broken by the hamster. The maze will be built using the eco bond glue to stick

all of the materials together which this glue is a special glue that are safe to the pet. Therefore,

making sure that the experimental animals will not being dangerous by smelling or touching on

the glue.

After making a maze and before an experiment, we need to do a classical conditioning on

the hamsters. At first, the hamsters will be scared of people and wont let people touch them due

to the different environment from where they are from. To be able to fix their behavior and begin

the experiment, they need to be classical conditioning and make them used to people. Food is an

important variable. Food will be put onto the hand and let the hamster eat from the hand several

times to reduce their afraidness. They should also be put on peoples hand to allow them to

remember the smell of people. These will tame them and now they wont be afraid when the

experiment starts.

Literature review on methodology :

According to Tolman and Honzik, they both are doing an experiment about the hunger

that drive the rats on T-maze which they are divide the rats into four groups consist of: hungry

non-rewarded, less hungry rewarded, less hungry non-rewarded, and hungry rewarded. As the

result show in their experiment, the hungry rewarded can exit the maze fastest and they also have

the least errors during the way that they will come out since two factors are driving them consist

of: the reward and hungriness. On the other hand, the rats that are less hungry non-rewarded are

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giving the poorest result as an absent of two factors consist of: hungriness and rewarded. These

experiment is related to this experiment since this experiment also using the multiple T-maze

design. Also, in this experiment the hamsters should be hungry by reducing their food before the

experiment begin.

According to Driemel and Lambeth they are testing the color that attract the hamster

more between light and dark colors. The hypothesis is that the light color will attract the hamster

more since human brain can work better in the light color such as green. So, in this experiment,

they are making two similar mazes but the color of two mazes will be different. One will be

green, and another will be black. However, at the end of the experiment, the result rejected their

hypothesis. The hamster ends up using less time in the black maze than the green color. Thus,

dark color picture will gain the attention from hamster more than the light color according to the

result of their experiment.

Experimental design procedure :

Experiment:

First Hamster

1. Building two T-maze by using the future board and wood using the eco bond glue to stick

the future board and the wood together.

2. Screw hinge and wood together by using nails and screwdriver to build the small doors

for the mazes and also the cage.

3. Put the doors in the mazes and also in the cages.

4. Stick the plastic sleeves into the doors.

5. Put the picture in the plastic sleeves that having the food behind the doors.

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 6. Repeat step 5 for 5 days which in each time that when giving hamster food by random the

side that will be putting the picture into the sleeves. However, the picture and the food

must be on the same side.

7. 6 hours before testing the food that will be given to the hamster will be reduce. Since the

hamster will store the food on their cheek which might make them do not want to run to

find food in the maze.

Second Hamster:

8. Building the T-maze by using the future board and wood using the eco bond glue to stick

the future board and the wood together.

9. Screw the hinge and wood together by using nails and screwdriver to build the small

doors for the maze and also the cage.

10. Put the doors in the maze and also in the cage.

11. Stick the plastic sleeves into the doors.

12. Dont put any of the pictures in the plastic sleeves when you are giving the food to them.

13. In each time that when giving a food to hamster, the food will be giving in the same side

that were given to the first hamster.

14. 6 hours before testing the food given to the hamster will be reduced. Since the hamster

will store the food on their cheek, they might dont want to run to find the food in maze.

Experimental Process:

15. After done with the training of the hamster, let the first hamster run in the maze number

one and number two.

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 16. Record the time when the first hamster reach each destination.

17. Make sure one of the group members record the video

18. Record the data and analyse it

19. Repeat the step 15-19 with the second hamster

20. Redo the experiment for more accurate results

Ethical/Humane Statement:

In this experiment, hamsters were treated with care and performed experiment without

causing any harm toward the hamsters both physically and mentally. Base on the experiment, the

performance that would be happen to the hamsters were only according to procedure without

using violence. During the beginning arrival of the hamster, the approaching that would cause

the animal to fear would not be permitted, also approach the experimental animals with caution

and to lessen the stress that could occur to the animal. The habitat for the experimental would

also be comfortable to the animal and allow the animal to live within the prepared habitat. Also,

providing all of the needed factor for the experimental animal to survive and live during the

process of the experiment.

Data collection/ Limitation :

In order to observe the development of the hamster, the data collection charts are

important. To compare the development overtime, during the experiments the time must be

record. As for the determination of the learning process of the two hamsters, the recorded time

would be use to compare the experimental animals that which of the two hamsters is able to learn

better in overtime of the experiment. As a result, the hamster that got different stimuli might

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show the changes during the experiment, so the data tables were to collect the changes that have

been observed during the experiment.

Maze 1 Control Group Time (s.) Errors

Trial 1 146 Seconds 3 Errors

Trial 2 385 Seconds 2 Errors

Maze 1 (Reverse) Control Group Time (s.) Errors

Trial 3 323 Seconds 5 Errors

Trial 4 147 Seconds 3 Errors

Maze 1 Experimental Time (s.) Errors

Group

Trial 1 49 Seconds -

Trial 2 20 Seconds -

Maze 1 (Reverse) Experimental Time (s.) Errors

Group

Trial 3 26 Seconds -

Trial 4 13 Seconds -

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Timeline of experiment :

Date Goal Remark

29-30 March 2017 - Creating the

experiment and the
question for the
experiment.

20 - 1 April 20 - Finish outline

proposal

2-5 May 2017 - Construct the maze

- Record the video of
the animal.
- Start to make an
animal get used to
us.

6-12 May 2017 - Start to condition the

animal by giving
them the food only
the side that have
picture
- Finish the proposal

Date Goal Remark

13-20 May 2017 - Let the hamster run

the maze
- Collecting and
Analyzing the data.

20-26 May 2017 - Finish making the

video.

Conclusion :

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 In conclusion, the hamster that has been stimulating with the picture will be compared

with the hamster without any of stimuli mean of using the time they spend in each maze. Thus, if

the hamster that has been stimulating win to solve the maze; it would clearly show that picture

are able to encourage the development of the hamster. In contrast, if the hamster that hasnt been

stimulating with the picture win to solve the maze; it also clearly show that picture stimuli cannot

fasten the learning process of the hamster. At the end of the experiment,still need to identify the

error that might occur, and also analyze the data whether the picture stimuli work or not.

References:

- Blocking and overshadowing between intra-maze and extra-maze cues: A test of the

independence of locale and guidance learning. Diez-Chamizo , D. Sterio & N. J.

Mackintosh The Quarterly Journal Of Experimental Psychology Section B

Published Online: 13 Jun 2007

- Results. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2017, from

http://www.odec.ca/projects/2005/drie5c0/public_html/results.htm

- (n.d.). Retrieved from APA psyncNet: http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1931-02279-001

- (n.d.). Retrieved from APA psyncNet:

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 http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayRecord&UID=

1929-02629-001

- Katherine E. Quesenberry, K. R. (n.d.). Description and Physical Characteristics of

Hamsters. Retrieved from Merck Vet Manual:

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets/hamsters

/description-and-physical-characteristics-of-hamsters

- (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2017, from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/com/12/1/77/

- McLeod, S. A. (2014). Classical Conditioning. Retrieved from

www.simplypsychology.org/classical-conditioning.html

- Dwarf Hamsters. (n.d.). Retrieved May 07, 2017, from

https://books.google.co.th/books?id=AgaCiIJKdH4C&pg=PT99&lpg=PT99&dq=

the%2Bcolour%2Bthat%2Bcan%2Bmore%2Battract%2Bto%2Bhamster&source

=bl&ots=yRlOHL1qs6&sig=sakwtSbTfJoyFLVDzlOkhpe2Njw&hl=en&sa=X&v

ed=0ahUKEwizr9Kyot3TAhWHqI8KHcsQBtEQ6AEINzAD#v=onepage&q=the

%20colour%20that%20can%20more%20attract%20to%20hamster&f=false

- Orenstein, D. (2014, February 26). Maze puts images on floor, where rats look. Retrieved

from Brown University: https://news.brown.edu/articles/2014/02/maze

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