"Priming effect" in conventionally reinforced rats.

Abstract

Rats were run in alleys for water reinforcement with intertrial intervals (ITIs) similar to the intervals typically used in studies of intraoranial reinforcement. When deprived over 15 hr., rats ran faster with very short (7 sec.) ITIs than with longer ITIs (95 sec.). Comparisons with rats described in other studies running for intracranial reinforcement led to the conclusion that, regardless of what kind of reinforcer is used, rats run faster for a reinforcer when ITIs are only seconds long rather than over a minute.

General-process theories of motivation revisited: The role of habituation.

“…The latency to drink decreased with increases in deprivation from 24 to 72 hr (Zimbardo & Mongomery, 1957). The rated pleasantness of water (B. J. and the strength of water as a reinforcer (see, e.g., Hunsicker & Reid, 1974) increased with deprivation. Amount drunk increased with deprivation even in sham-drinking situations (see, e.g., Blass, Jobaris, & Hall, 1976).…”

The temporal structure of reinforcement: VI. Local determinants of response topography as determined by analysis of interresponse times.

“…Whether this model can be extended to other behavioral tasks remains uncertain. However, priming similar to the type Gallistel investigated has been observed in behaviors other than self-stimulation (Eiserer, 1978b;Hunsicker & Reid, 1974;Panksepp & Trowill, 1967a, 1967bTerry, 1980Terry, , 1983van der Kooy & Hogan, 1978), and brain stimulation has been suggested to conform in stimulus characteristics to other incentive stimuli (Gallistel, 1969(Gallistel, , 1975Lenzer, 1972;Trowill, Panksepp, & Gandelman, 1969). This may indicate grounds for investigating the empirically generated priming model in other biologically based incentive systems.…”

Self-Stimulation

“…By contrast with reinforcements pertinent to these drives, reinforcements pertinent to homeostatic drives, such as thirst and hunger, do not usually have pronounced priming effects. Hunsicker & Reid (1974), in a similar experiment, found that longer intertrial intervals produced slower waterreinforced performance. Hogan & Roper, 1978) would set up a positive-feedback process antithetical to the regulatory function of these systems.…”