Animals respond for food in the presence of free food.
Pigeons pecked a response disk to gain access to grain rewards while identical grain was freely available from a cup within the experimental chamber. Similarly, rats pressed a lever for food pellets while free pellets were present. It is not necessary, therefore, to deprive an animal of food before it will engage in instrumental responding for food. Such responding can serve as its own motivation and reward.
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D010856:Columbidae; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005508:Food Deprivation; D012201:Reward