Saccharin consumption and the reinforcement issue.
- 1 June 1964
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology
- Vol. 57 (3) , 448-450
- https://doi.org/10.1037/h0042072
Abstract
Saccharin consumption was shown to depend upon drive state. In the 1st experiment, 20 rats were given a palatable solution of saccharin and water under high-low alternating hunger drives for 16 days. Unlike previous findings, Ss drank more saccharin when they had been without food for 42 hr than when food was eaten just 2 hr before their saccharin trial. These results are in accord with the Hullian position on drive level and habit strength. The 2nd experiment compared saccharin consumption by 2 groups of 8 rats each, one hungry and thirsty and the other practically satiated. Results here support the extinction-of-saccharin-effect interpretation of reinforcement over an aversive conditioning explanation.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Effects of drive level and experience on the reward value of saccharine solutions.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1956