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BGSU_Dissertations_0303_Fisher.pdf (7.56 MB)

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Do Rats Prefer Response-Produced Or Free Food?

Fisher, Caroline J.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1566297715168803

Abstract Details

1975, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Psychology.
Studies have indicated that animals will respond for food even though additional food is available without responding, suggesting that animals prefer earned food. The present study gave rats a choice between contingent and non-contingent food, allowing them to changeover from one situation to the other. In Experiment One, 11 female, albino rats chose between earned food on a variable interval 2-minute (VI 2-min) schedule and free food on a variable time 2-min (VT 2-min) schedule. A preference for free food was demonstrated by five subjects, while four subjects demonstrated a preference for earned food. The remaining two subjects did not demonstrate any preference. In Experiment Two, a stimulus change of flashing lights was added to earned-food delivery for two subjects from Experiment One. Neither showed a change in preference. The rate of reinforcement was changed to VI 4-min and VT 4-min in Experiment Three for two other subjects from Experiment One. One showed no change in preference, while the other changed from a preference for earned food in Experiment One to a preference for free food in Experiment Three. The response rate per reinforcement was hypothesized to be the critical variable affecting the preference. Since the number of subjects tested was small and only one additional reinforcement schedule was used, further research using more subjects and other reinforcement schedules was recommended. In Experiment Four, six other subjects from Experiment One and six additional, naive rats were given an opportunity to respond for food while a dish of free food was also available. Half had received prior experience with earned food only, while half had received experience with both earned and free food. Those subjects that had experience only with earned food earned a mean of 69 percent of the food they consumed during the test session with free food available. Those that had experience with both earned and free food earned a mean of 24 percent of the food they consumed. Thus the results of previous studies were replicated, showing that experience affects the percent food earned when free food is available. No strong preference for control over food delivery was found in the series of experiments.
Pietro Badia (Advisor)
Psychology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Fisher, C. J. (1975). Do Rats Prefer Response-Produced Or Free Food? [Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1566297715168803

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Fisher, Caroline. Do Rats Prefer Response-Produced Or Free Food? 1975. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1566297715168803.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Fisher, Caroline. "Do Rats Prefer Response-Produced Or Free Food?" Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 1975. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1566297715168803

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1566297715168803
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