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System-specific differences in behavior regulation: overrunning and underdrinking in molar nondepriving schedules
D J Gawley1, W Timberlake, G A Lucas
1Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Animal Behavior Processes
|October 1, 1987
Summary
Rats did not maintain baseline running or drinking under schedules requiring them to run to drink or offering water at fixed times. These findings challenge molar regulation theories in non-depriving conditions.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Animal behavior and cognition
Background:
- Molar regulation theory predicts animals adjust behavior to maintain consistent response totals.
- Nondepriving schedules constrain drinking patterns but allow continuous activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if rats adjust running and drinking to maintain baseline response totals under nondepriving schedules.
- To investigate molar regulation under contingent (run-to-drink) and independent (fixed-time water) schedules.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments with rats under nondepriving schedules.
- Experiment 1: Contingent schedule (running required for drinking).
- Experiment 2: Independent schedule (water delivered via fixed-time).
Main Results:
- Rats overran and underdrank in the contingent schedule.
- Rats underdrank but approximated baseline running under fixed-time schedules.
- Results did not support molar equilibrium under these nondepriving conditions.
Conclusions:
- Contingent running may not equate to independent running.
- Intermittent water access reduces drinking motivation.
- Molar regulation differs between reciprocal and nonreciprocal schedules.
- Need for dynamic, system-specific regulatory models.