Delayed generalization testing produces enhanced alcohol aversions in rats.
Three experiments examined the effects of the training-to-testing interval on alcohol aversions. In Experiments 1 and 2, rats learned a taste aversion to a 4% (v/v) alcohol solution using lithium chloride as the illness agent. With a between-groups design, subjects were tested with 1%, 4%, or 7% alcohol, beginning either 2 or 21 days after training. In both experiments, results showed that rats learned aversions to the trained 4% alcohol that generalized to the nontrained 1% and 7% concentrations. Furthermore, in Experiment 1 aversions to 1% and 7% alcohol were stronger in groups tested 21 days after training relative to groups tested 2 days after training. When the strength of the illness agent was reduced in Experiment 2, aversions to all concentrations of alcohol were stronger at the delayed testing interval. Experiment 3 ruled out the possibility that enhanced alcohol avoidance at delayed testing was the result of spontaneous recovery of neophobia. The results suggest that taste aversions to alcohol become stronger with time. Possible mechanisms for this "incubation effect" are discussed. The present findings have implications for improving emetic therapy as a treatment for human alcoholics.
Thiele
T E
TE
Department of Psychology, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506-5302, USA.
Kiefer
S W
SW
Badia-Elder
N E
NE
D000818:Animals; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D005793:Generalization, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D014868:Water Deprivation
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol