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The reinforcement value of schedule-induced drinking
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|January 1, 1975
Summary
Food reinforcement schedules alter drinking water
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Animal behavior studies
Background:
- Food reinforcement is a primary motivator.
- Understanding how other resources, like water, are valued is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how food reinforcement schedules affect the perceived value of drinking water.
- To explore the relationship between food frequency and water consumption in rats.
Main Methods:
- Rats were exposed to variable-time food schedules.
- Water access was introduced into one component of the schedule.
- Food presentation frequency was systematically varied.
Main Results:
- Drinking rates increased with higher food frequency.
- Water intake per food pellet decreased as food frequency rose.
- The reinforcement value of water, per the Matching Law, increased with food frequency.
Conclusions:
- Food schedules indirectly influence drinking behavior by changing water's reinforcement value.
- Schedule-induced drinking can be explained by water's reinforcement value, drinking rate, and food frequency.
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