Investigation of the devaluation interpretation of anticipatory negative contrast.
Rats suppress intake of an acceptable substance (e.g., 0.15% saccharin) when it is followed by a preferred substance (e.g., 32% sucrose) in once per day pairings. The role of a learned devaluation of the initial solution in suppressed intake (anticipatory negative contrast) was investigated. The findings included the following: (a) Flavors or odors as within-subject cues precluded the occurrence of anticipatory contrast, conditioning flavor and odor preferences instead, which appeared to antagonize suppressed intake. (b) Anticipatory contrast was obtained when within-subject context cues, temporal alternation cues, or drinking-spout cues were used. (c) Preference tests conducted with the spout cues showed that devaluation of the initial substance was not necessary for the occurrence of negative anticipatory contrast.
Flaherty
C F
CF
Psychology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, USA.
Coppotelli
C
C
Grigson
P S
PS
Mitchell
C
C
Flaherty
J E
JE
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005518:Food Preferences; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012439:Saccharin; D013395:Sucrose
D013395:Sucrose; D012439:Saccharin