Rats show preference for delayed rewards on the radial maze.
Rats on an eight-arm radial maze chose between four arms on which a small reward could be obtained after a short delay and four arms on which a larger reward could be obtained after a longer delay. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that rats preferred the long-delay, large-reward arms over the short-delay, small-reward arms. This preference was particularly marked when the arms were made into enclosed alleys. Experiment 3 showed that this effect was not produced by a preference for staying in enclosed alleys. We argue that the rats endured longer delays to obtain larger rewards when fear of predation was minimized.
Feeney
Miranda C
MC
Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. mcfeeney@uwo.ca
Roberts
William A
WA
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002755:Choice Behavior; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D051381:Rats; D012201:Reward; D013997:Time Factors