Using Volume as a Reinforcement

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I am attempting to create an experiment in SuperLab using a SV-1 2G to present participants with Movie Stimuli for an experiment involving operant conditioning. While I believe that I have found a way to present an auditory stimuli concurrently during a video clip, as a separate trial, I was curious if there was any way to lower or remove the audio of the video clip, in order to use the return of the audio as a positive reinforcement for behavior.

To clarify, I would like the video clip to continue to play, but for the volume to be lowered or removed altogether, until the participant provides a correct response, which would then reward the participant with the volume being returned. Also, the video clips will be 5-15 minutes in length and I would like to provide reinforcement on a interval schedule of around 30 to 90 seconds.

I believe this would involve using the accessory connector for participant input, as I am attempting to video record participant behavior.

Thank you for your help!

SuperLab cannot fluctuate the volume of a movie while it continues to play. You can set the volume for the event, but it keeps that volume and that volume only for the whole event.

You might need to do some video editing yourself to replace the movie’s normal audio track with a version of it that gets quieter and quieter over time.