paper available: Situational Descriptions of Behavioral Procedures

[Steven M. Kemp]

Dear Colleagues:

The following paper on evaluating neural networks and other computational
models of learning against laboratory data, entitled "Situational
Descriptions of Behavioral Procedures" is available at:

http://www.unc.edu/~skemp/documents/situate/InSitu/KEMP-75-135.PDF

This paper appears in the forthcoming issue of the Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB).  For those preferring hard
copies, they should be available in a couple of months.  Contact me via
email.

Best regards,

steve

p.s. If you have any trouble accessing, reading or printing this file, just
drop me a line.  If the problem is that you don't have Adobe Acrobat, you
can get it (for free) here:

http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html



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Situational Descriptions of Behavioral Procedures:  The In Situ Testbed

Steven M. Kemp and David A. Eckerman, Journal of the Experimental Analysis
of Behavior (2001), vol. 75, pp. 135-164.

Abstract

We demonstrate In Situ testbed, a system that aids in evaluating
computational models of learning, including artificial neural networks.
The testbed models contingencies of reinforcement using an extension of
Mechner's notational system for the description of behavioral procedures.
These contingencies are input to the model under test.  The model's output
is displayed as cumulative records.  The cumulative record can then be
compared to one produced by a pigeon exposed to the same contingencies.
The testbed is tried with three published models of learning.  Each model
is exposed to up to three reinforcement schedules (testing ends when the
model does not produce acceptable cumulative records): continuous
reinforcement/extinction, fixed ratio, and fixed interval.  The In Situ
testbed appears to be a reliable and valid testing procedure for comparing
models of learning.

Key words:  neural networks, reinforcement schedules, situated action,
cumulative records, learning theory, Mechner diagrams, extinction, key
peck, computer simulation, Markov decision process, POMDP.

  -- Steve Kemp

[apologies if you receive multiple copies of this message]




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Steven M. Kemp                |
Department of Psychology      | email:  steve_kemp at unc.edu
Davie Hall, CB# 3270          |
University of North Carolina  |
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270    |   fax: (919) 962-2537

Visit our WebSite at:  http://www.unc.edu/~skemp/

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The laws of mind [are] themselves of so fluid a character as to simulate
divergences from law.  -- C. S. Peirce (Collected Papers, 6.101).