The effects of isolation-rearing on sucrose consumption in rats

Three experiments examined the hypothesis that social isolation of weanling rats potentiates hedonic processes by examining the consumption of sucrose solutions. In the first experiment no differences in consumption were found between socially reared rats and isolation-reared rats allowed to consume sucrose in a familiar test apparatus. In a second experiment socially-reared rats and isolation-reared rats were food and water deprived. Again, no differences in consumption were found. In a third experiment socially reared and isolation-reared rats were allowed to consume sucrose presented in either an ascending or descending order of concentration. When given sucrose in an ascending order of presentation isolation-reared rats consumed significantly more sucrose than socially reared rats. This suggests that isolation-rearing increased the effects of positive contrast, and is consistent with other observations of increased incentive motivation in isolates.