The secondary reinforcing value of food for thirsty animals.

Abstract

To ascertain if sight of food serves as an incentive for thirsty, food-satiated rats, two matched groups of Sprague-Dawley male rats were trained to traverse a runway. Experimental animals running to food ran more rapidly and consistently than controls running to an empty end box. It is concluded that a learned incentive is effective when another primary drive is operating. The possible roles of reactive inhibition, frustation and secondary drives in the differential performance are discussed.