Open Collections

Learned taste aversions by rats to compound stimuli

University of British Columbia

Learned taste aversions occur if water-deprived rats' Ingestion of a novel flavored solution is followed by toxicosis. Since little is known about learned aversions to mixtures of two distinct flavors, the present series of six major experiments was performed. In Experiment I compounds of two flavors were paired with LiCl toxicosis. During subsequent test periods, in which the compound and the individual flavors were presented, the rats avoided the component flavors as well as the compound. The compound was generally avoided more than individual taste elements. In Experiment II two flavors were separately paired with toxicosis. During subsequent test periods, the rats avoided the compounds of the flavors as well as the individual flavors. Some evidence of stronger avoidance of the compound was found. In Experiment III compounds of two flavors, one familiar and one novel to the rats, were followed by toxicosis. The rats avoided the compound and the novel flavor, but showed much less avoidance of the familiar flavor during subsequent tests. Avoidance of the novel solution was greater than when put in compound with another novel fluid and followed by toxicosis. In Experiment IV one flavor was explicitly paired, while a second flavor was explicitly not paired with toxicosis. During testing the rats avoided the paired but not the unpaired flavor. The compound of the two flavors was consumed in quantities intermediate between the two individual flavors. In Experiment V the concentration of one flavor of the compound was increased. During tests, which followed pairing of the compound with toxicosis, a stronger aversion to the more concentrated flavor was observed with some flavors but not others. In Experiment VI one flavor was followed by toxicosis prior to the compound of this flavor and another being followed by poisoning. The rats avoided both flavors as well as the compound during subsequent tests. With the possible exception of the results of Experiment VI, the results of these experiments are quite similar to the results obtained in more traditional learning paradigms. A majority of the effects found are accounted for by contemporary learning theories.

Text

2010-02-23

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/20796

Psychology

University of British Columbia

Graduate