DRL Performance and Water Availability: Enhancement or Interference?

Abstract

8 female albino rats were divided into 2 groups that were exposed to a DRL 18-sec. schedule. One group had water available for the first 30 days while the second did not. Ss with water available initially showed more reinforced bar presses but by the end of the second week rats with no water available demonstrated superior performance. After the initial 30 days the conditions of availability of water were reversed. The animals with water available consistently received fewer reinforcements for the remaining 28 days of the experiment. Also, they consumed far less water than did the group which had water available during the initial 30 days. The results are discussed in terms of schedule-induced polydipsia.