Description
The Xtreme Rat Challenge is the final demonstration project for students in NWU's Basic Learning Principles class. While in lecture, students study the intricacies of behaviorist learning theories, in lab they are able to directly apply this information. They may experiment with timing, types of reinforcers and techniques. Each student is assigned a rat at the beginning of the semester. They take some time to get to know their rats and begin with standard magazine and lever training in the operant chamber. Through magazine training, the rat associates the sound of the dispenser with the presentation of food. Then using this sound as a positive reinforcer, the student shapes the rat's behavior until it reliably presses the lever to receive the reinforcer. With both the rats and the students now familiar with simple classical and operant conditioning techniques, the students may begin shaping their rats? behaviors to perform the tasks of the challenge.
History of the event
The XRC has been a part of NWU's Basic Learning Principles class since 1974. Dr. Marty Klein wanted students to directly apply the principles they were learning in class. Keeping with his philosophy that learning should be "hands on" and fun, he instituted the Rat Olympics. The event quickly became popular with the Wesleyan students, parents, and local community. Local and national media (Discovery Channel, Wall Street Journal) have also shown an interest in this unique learning experience.
In 2004, the name of the event was changed to the Xtreme Rat Challenge after a "request" by the United States Olympic Committee.
Originally, Dr. Klein's students worked with adult male rats shaping their behavior using food reinforcers. Over the years as other professors continued the rat challenge, six month old female albino rats became the preferred animal. In 2005, weanling rats were assigned to each student at the beginning of the semester. Several students found that their rats would work just as hard for contact with their trainers as for food.
The Events
- Weight Lifting: Rats first learn to press a bar for a food reward. Then they must use increasing force to press the bar down as weight is added to the bucket on the other side of the lever. The winner is the rat that lifts the highest percentage of its body weight.
- Rope Climb: Rats are trained to climb the five foot rope as quickly as possible to receive their reinforcement at the top.
- Long Jump: Our albino rats must leap across a gap and land on a platform for a food pellet and the safety of their trainers? arms.
- Hurdles: Rats learn to race each other and jump two-inch hurdles to reach the end of the track.
- Tightrope: Rats learn to walk across a five-foot tightrope.
Current Records
Records in the modern XRC events are listed below. Students whose rats win, place, or show in the events earn extra credit as reinforcement for proper application of the learning principles.
| Event | All-Time Records | 6-Month Old Females | 4-Month Old Females |
| Five-yard Hurdles | 4.20 sec | 4.20 sec | 8.71 sec |
| Five-foot (1.5 m) Rope Climb | 4.88 | 3.33 | 6.96 |
| Four-foot (1.25 m) Tightrope | 3.70 | 6.83 | 5.07 |
| Weight Lifting | 88.00% of body weight | 116.50% of body weight | 50.90% of body weight |
| Long Jump | 48.5 inches (120 cm) | 48.5 inches | 28.0 inches |
More information about the Xtreme Rat Challenge
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Oxbow has proudly been a sponsor of the Xtreme Rat Challenge since 2003. Click here to see their report of the 2005 XRC, including more pictures and videos. |
Please contact Dr. Marilyn Petro regarding questions concerning the Xtreme Rat Challenge.