The relative strengths of consummatory responses in hunger, thirst, and exploratory drive.

Abstract

Measurement of exploratory and consumatory behavior of thirsty, hungry, and satiated rats in a complex maze showed that (a) Food and water deprivation decrease exploration. (b) Equal durations of food and water deprivation yield unequal consumatory responses. (c) Conflict between exploratory and consummatory motivation leads to alternation of incipient consummatory responses and exploration. (d) Deprived rats placed in a novel environment, with food or water present, still explore for a time before consummatory responding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)