Drive specificity and learning: the acquisition of a spatial response to food under conditions of water deprivation and food satiation.

Abstract

A total of 66 young, naive rats were given four training trials per day for 10 days under 16-18 hrs. of water deprivation and food satiation in a single choice-point Y-maze. They were given water on both sides but food was placed on one arm only of the maze. For 26 animals, all 40 training trials were free, for 20 animals 20 trials were free, and 20 forced, and for 20 animals all 40 trials were forced. On the 11th day each animal was given one test trial under 22 hours of food deprivation. A significant tendency for the animals to go to food when made hungry was demonstrated in both groups with free trials and a similar but not significant tendency was demonstrated in the group in which all trials were forced. A secondary hypothesis that the weaker the position preference of the animal, the more likely the demonstration of an acquired food-going response tendency,was also confirmed. It is suggested that the results might be acceptably expressed in the terms of either Hull or Tolman.