EFFECTS OF WITHHOLDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESS THE OPERANT LEVER ON THE MAINTENANCE OF SCHEDULE-INDUCED DRINKING IN RATS

Abstract

Rats developed excessive drinking on a fixed-intervaI60-s food reinforcement schedule. In subsequent test sessions, the rats were divided in two groups: in the experimental group, the response lever was retracted; in the control group, the lever was rendered inactive. Food was dispensed at regular one-minute intervals regardless of the animals' behavior (fixed time 60-s schedule) Drinking declined in experimental as opposed to control rats, but this effect proved transitory. A tentative explanation is proposed in terms of the consequences that follow adjunctive behavior, This approach is compared with the view that emphasizes the role of the reinforcer as a discriminative stimulus.