Instant Behavioral Pharmacology: How to Conduct a Multiple-Baseline Experiment with Animals in under an Hour

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Animal Behavior
• Educational Methods

Background:

• Proficiency in single-case experimental designs is crucial for behavior-analytic training.
• Traditional animal models can be costly and face ethical review board restrictions.
• Accessible and ethical animal models are needed for practical training exercises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a straightforward multiple baseline-design experiment suitable for a single classroom session.
• To utilize planarians as an accessible animal model for demonstrating experimental principles.
• To provide students with practical experience in experimental design, data analysis, and behavioral pharmacology.

Main Methods:

• A multiple baseline-design experiment was conducted using planarians (aquatic flatworms).
• The experiment leveraged planarians' negative phototaxis (movement away from light) for stable baselines.
• Procedures were designed for a single classroom meeting, requiring minimal resources.

Main Results:

• The experiment successfully demonstrated the application of a multiple baseline design in a classroom setting.
• Planarians exhibited reliable negative phototaxis, allowing for stable baseline data collection.
• Students gained practical experience in graphing and analyzing experimental data.

Conclusions:

• Planarians serve as an effective and accessible animal model for teaching single-case experimental designs.
• This classroom activity provides an empirical introduction to behavioral pharmacology and experimental methodology.
• The described procedures are flexible and can be adapted for further training and research.