Combined sources of motivation and escape responding

Abstract

Zero and 21% hr. (approximately) of food deprivation wereorthogonally combined with 40 and 70 v of shock during a single shock-escape trial. Escape performance was directly related to both level of deprivation and shock intensity.Drive theories of primary motivation (e.g., Spence, 1956) assume that, all things equal, the more numerous the primary sources of drive, the greater the motivation, and the more vigorous the response. Most studies of combined sources of primary motivation have investigated appetitional motive combinations (Le., food deprivation combined with water deprivation). Only Amsel (1950) has reported on the combining of aversive and appetitional motives. This investigator varied shock intensity (aversive motive) and food deprivation during escape training but found no reliable effects of combined motivation ..The present experiment reports on combining primary aversive and appetitional motives during a single shock-escape trial. A single trial technique was used as one way to avoid the confounding between motivational and reinforCing aspects of shock, which occurred in Amsel's study. Amsel trained Ss to escape from different shock intensities to no shock. Thus, Ss differed in level of shock-produced motivation and in level of reinforcement due to amount of shock offset. The present study assumed that escape performance on a single (and only) shock trial was independent of previous (non-existent) shock reinforcements and should reflect only motivational factors. Method Apparatus. The apparatus was that described by Franchina (1966). Briefly, a white start box was separated from a black safe box by a guillotine door and a hurdle. The start box floor could be electrified from a constant voltage source. The safe box floor was masonite and could be depressed. The lid of each box contained light sources which maintained constant levels of illumination in the start and safe boxes. The start box lid also contained a light source for discrete CS presentations in that box. Subjects, Design, and Procedures.Ss were 56 naive, male, Holtzman, albino rats. At 98-101 days old, Ss were weighed and started on a feeding schedule of 1-1/2 hr. access to food (ad lib) every 24 hr. Water was always available.After eight days on this maintenance schedule, each S received two successive days of exploration in the apparatus and, then, two successive days of one trial of hurdle-jumping per day. Ss were weighed on each hurdle-jumping day, 30 min. before their daily feeding.

Effect of Thirst and Change of Thirst on Bar-Pressing to Escape Bright Light

“…These findings are in marked contrast to studies in which locomotor escape or avoidance has been facilitated by hunger (Amsel, 1950;Braun, Wedekind, & Smudski, 1957;Franchina, 1966;Jerome, Moody, Connor, & Fernandez, 1957). Taken together, all of the studies cited thus far suggest the hypothesis that hunger or thirst facilitates locomotor escape or avoidance, but has a depressive effect on manipulandum escape or avoidance performance.…”

Startle Potentiation and Heart Rate as Affected by Fear and Hunger

“…This result is consistent with the view (Meryman, 1952;Brown, 1961) that fear and food deprivation, when combined, produce greater drive and greater potentiarion than either one alone. Such a drive-summation view has been supported in studies of instrumental behavior (Amsel, 1950;Franchina, 1966;Ley, 1965) but its status with respect to the potentiation of acoustic startle seems less secure. To be viable, the summation idea requires that fear and hunger (or other appetitive drives) can independently potentiate the response.…”

The effect of thirst on locomotor light escape in rats

“…Interest in this area of research has subsequently declined. Yet the notion of combined sources of motivation continues to be used in the explanation of phenomena as diverse as social facilitation (Zajonc, 1965), aggression (Berkowitz, 1974), interpersonal attraction (Dutton & Aaron, 1974), and partial reinforcement effects (Amsel, 1958).In reviewing the effect of hunger or thirst on aversively motivated behaviors, Moriarty, Dachowski, and Patterson (1978) found several studies showing that hunger and thirst depress performance on manipulandum escape or avoidance tasks (e.g., Dachowski, 1964;Davidson, 1971;Griffin, Medearis, & Hughes, 1973;Leander, 1973;Meyer, Adams, & Worthen, 1969) and facilitate performance on locomotor escape or avoidance tasks (e.g., Amsel, 1950;Braun, Wedekind, & Smudski, 1957;Franchina, 1966;Jerome, Moody, Connor, & Fernandez, 1957). Moriarty et al .…”

“…In reviewing the effect of hunger or thirst on aversively motivated behaviors, Moriarty, Dachowski, and Patterson (1978) found several studies showing that hunger and thirst depress performance on manipulandum escape or avoidance tasks (e.g., Dachowski, 1964;Davidson, 1971;Griffin, Medearis, & Hughes, 1973;Leander, 1973;Meyer, Adams, & Worthen, 1969) and facilitate performance on locomotor escape or avoidance tasks (e.g., Amsel, 1950;Braun, Wedekind, & Smudski, 1957;Franchina, 1966;Jerome, Moody, Connor, & Fernandez, 1957). Moriarty et al .…”