Runway performance and competing responses as functions of drive level and method of drive measurement.

Abstract

Tested Estes' stimulus-response (S-R) drive theory in a segmented runway which permitted objective competing response measure. 24 rats were run on a 3-day-on, 2-day-off schedule. One group remained on 0-, 6-, or 20-hr food deprivation for 3 consecutive days; another was changed to a new 0-, 6-, or 20-hr deprivation on each of 3 days; a 3rd group remained at 100, 95, or 90% body weight for 3 days. For all groups competing responses decreased with increased drive as predicted. However, start and running speeds increased with drive whether or not competing response trials or competing response times were subtracted, failing to confirm the theory. The distribution of competing responses over the runway length was a U-shaped function. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)