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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

An Electrophysiology Protocol to Measure Reward Anticipation and Processing in Children
Published on: October 4, 2018
Negative anticipatory contrast: does it involve anticipation of an impending reward?
Barbara K A Onishi1, Gilberto F Xavier
1Department of Physiology, Biosciences Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. onishib@gmail.com
Abstract:
Negative anticipatory contrast (NAC) corresponds to the suppression in consumption of a first rewarding substance (e.g., saccharin 0.15%) when it is followed daily by a second preferred substance (e.g., sucrose 32%). The NAC has been interpreted as resulting from anticipation of the impending preferred reward and its comparison with the currently available first reward [Flaherty, C.F., Rowan, G.A., 1985. Anticipatory contrast: within-subjects analysis. Anim. Learn. Behav. 13, 2-5]. In this context, one should expect that devaluation of the preferred substance after the establishment of the NAC would either reduce or abolish the contrast effect. However, contrary to this prediction, the results of the present study show that the NAC is insensitive to devaluation of the second, preferred, substance. This allows one to question that interpretation. The results reported in this study support the view that the NAC effect is controlled by memory of the relative value of the first solution, which is updated daily by means of both a gustatory and/or post-ingestive comparison of the first and second solutions, and memory of past pairings.
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