Abstract
Three experiments, designed to test the hypothesis that the reward value of an object is functionally related to the amount of effort required to obtain that object, were carried out in which several groups of rats were trained to pull 5-80 gm weights in order to obtain a minimal amount of a relatively unique food reward. The weight that S pulled was constant from trial to trial. Three independent measures of value were used; performance in a straight-alley maze; rate of eating; amount eaten under near satiation. Results of all 3 experiments were consistent, and while attaining limited statistical significance, tended to occur for all measures in the predicted direction.

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