WITHIN-SESSION CHANGES IN RATS´ FOOD-DEMAND ELASTICITY

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VANESSA MINERVINI
CHAD M. GALUSKA
DAVID R. MAGUIRRE

Abstract

A common finding in behavioral economics is that demand assessed under an open
economy is more elastic than that obtained under a closed economy.Although elas-
ticity traditionally has been conceptualized in terms of price sensitivity a potential
confounding variable is session duration because opeii economies typically arrange
markedly briefer sessions than closed economies.To assess the role of session duration on deniand elasticit, we arranged an open economy in which 6 male Long-
Evans rats lever-pressed for food and water reinforcers in 1-and 6-hr sessions.The
fixed ratio for food reinforceis increased across sessions. Both reinforcer magnitude (1 or 2 pellets) session duration were manipulated across conditions.Acumulative
hourly food consumption, data were fit to both the lineal-and exponential demand models such that the elasticity parameters yielded could be compared.For all rats, as time within the session elapsed, cumulative exponential demand for food became progressively less elastic, as did initial linear demand erasticity however cumulative linear demand for food remained relatively unchanged f.r 5 of 6 rats.These results suggest that session duratio modulates only in itial demand elasticiv with small price increases, and that these changes do not reflect changes in price sensitivity.

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How to Cite
MINERVINI, V., GALUSKA, C. M., & MAGUIRRE, D. R. (2013). WITHIN-SESSION CHANGES IN RATS´ FOOD-DEMAND ELASTICITY. Mexican Journal of Behavior Analysis, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.5514/rmac.v39.i1.63909