Effect of response-independent candy on responding maintained by candy using a novel model of commodity acquisition...

Ingestive behavior consists of appetitive or foraging behavior, i.e., "acquisition," followed by consummatory behavior. Responding of six adult rhesus monkeys, living in three-chambered enclosures, was studied under an operant chain schedule that simulated commodity acquisition and commodity consumption. Responding during the initial acquisition component was reinforced by stimuli paired with that commodity, while responding during the following consumption component was reinforced with that commodity. Throughout the 10-h experimental day, monkeys experienced multiple candy (plain M & Ms) and fruit-drink (Kool-Aid) sessions in different end chambers. The effects of response-independent candy reinforcement, in the context of extinction, were examined when monkeys received a daily food ration of 8 or 20 chow. Response-independent candy increased responding during the acquisition components of candy sessions when monkeys received a daily food ration of 8 chow but not when the food ration was 20 chow. Furthermore, response-independent candy increased candy choice over fruit-drink during choice opportunities and increased the length of time spent in the candy chamber when the candy stimulus lights were illuminated under both food ration conditions, i.e., location preference. The present procedure, which combines operant and place preference measures of commodity acquisition, when used in combination with methods of studying reinstatement of responding, may prove useful in analyzing factors affecting relapse.