scholarly journals Effects of Exposure to 56Fe Particles or Protons on Fixed-ratio Operant Responding in Rats

2002 ◽  
Vol 43 (S) ◽  
pp. S225-S228 ◽  
Author(s):  
BERNARD M. RABIN ◽  
LYNN L. BUHLER ◽  
JAMES A. JOSEPH ◽  
BARBARA SHUKITT-HALE ◽  
DANIEL G. JENKINS
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Operant Responding

Increasing Slowed Operant Responding of Schizophrenics under a Fixed-Ratio Schedule of Reinforcement

1981 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 579-582
Author(s):  
Harold Weiner
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Ratio Schedule ◽  
Fixed Ratio Schedule ◽  
Operant Responding ◽  
Schedule Of Reinforcement ◽  
Minimum Number

Two procedures were evaluated in terms of their ability to modify the slowed responding of schizophrenics under an FR 40 schedule. FR 40 response rates increased when schizophrenics were instructed to earn a minimum number of reinforcements or to imitate the rate of responding of someone shown earning that minimum number of reinforcements. The greater increase in FR 40 responding occurred under the latter procedure.

Further quantification of pigs needs for food using operant conditioning

1989 ◽  
Vol 1989 ◽  
pp. 91-91
Author(s):  
A.B. Lawrence ◽  
A.W. Illius
Keyword(s):  
Operant Conditioning ◽  
Food Restriction ◽  
Food Reward ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Operant Responding ◽  
Motivational States ◽  
Feeding Motivation ◽  
Ad Libitum Intake ◽  
High Level

The study of motivational states underlying behaviour is seen as critical to understanding the implications of restricted husbandry conditions on animal welfare. Yet the measurement of the strength of motivation remains a perennial problem in welfare studies. Previous work at Edinburgh using operant conditioning identified an apparently high level of feeding motivation throughout the day in pigs fed [ARC, 1981] recommended levels for sows and boars [Lawrence et al. 1988]. Pigs trained to press a panel consistently 10 times for a food reward (fixed ratio or FR responding) maintained high levels of panel pressing across the day when offered 0.6 of their ad libitum intake approximating to ARC (1981) recommended feeding levels. However, as the level of operant responding required was not great, it is arguable to what extend these results demonstrate a strong need for food by pigs on restricted feeding. The present paper reports on an experiment to test more accutely the strength of feeding motivation in relation to food restriction by comparing responding on FR with that on a progressive ratio (PR) where the animal has to work progressively harder for successive rewards. It was hoped that PR. reputedly a sensitive measure of motivation, would indicate with greater certainty restrict fed pigs need for food.

Insulin and Dextrose Effects on Fixed-Interval Behavioral Thermoregulation in Albino Rats

1990 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
William F. Vitulli ◽  
Connie P. Anderson ◽  
Joseph M. Quinn ◽  
Julie D. Jarvis
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Regular Insulin ◽  
Fixed Interval ◽  
Behavioral Thermoregulation ◽  
Saline Control ◽  
Albino Rats ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Operant Responding

This study is a systematic replication of the effects of insulin doses on operant behavior reinforced (in an earlier study) by fixed-ratio schedules of microwave (MW) reinforcement. In this study, insulin and dextrose doses were administered (ip) prior to fixed-interval 2-min. schedules of MW reinforcement in rats tested in a cold environment. Six Sprague-Dawley rats were conditioned to regulate their thermal environment with 5-sec. exposures of MW radiation (SAR = 0.34 Watts/kg/(mW/cm2) under the FI-2′ schedules. Humulin-regular insulin and 50% solutions of dextrose were administered (ip) alternately with saline control sessions for 8-hr. durations. A within-subjects, repeated-measures 4 × 8 × 3 factorial analysis of variance design showed that insulin doses suppressed operant responding for heat, which confirmed the results of the earlier study under a different schedule. In addition, high doses of dextrose had similar suppressing effects on operant responding for heat. The data are interpreted in terms of the discriminative properties of increased thermogenesis produced by the insulin and dextrose doses. The suppressing effects were more pronounced for the first two hours, yet they persisted for approximately six hours of the 8-hr. sessions.

Auditory Control of Operant Behavior in Mute Autistic Children

1967 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 561-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph N. Hingtgen ◽  
Susan K. Coulter
Keyword(s):  
Operant Behavior ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Ratio Schedule ◽  
Auditory Stimuli ◽  
Fixed Ratio Schedule ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Operant Responding ◽  
Lever Pressing

To determine whether auditory stimuli can control operant responding in mute autistic children, 4 Ss were presented with 5 pairs of auditory stimuli. During the presentation of 1 stimulus the child was able to obtain food on a previously established fixed-ratio schedule of lever pressing, while during the presentation of the second stimulus an extinction schedule was in effect. A new set of stimuli was introduced when the preceding set was learned. 3 of the 4 children learned to discriminate four pairs of auditory stimuli within an average of 36 daily 40-min. sessions. The data indicate that some mute autistic children are capable of learning simple auditory-motor associations.

Some Observations on Apathetic Operant Responding of Chronic Schizophrenics

1979 ◽  
Vol 48 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1083-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold Weiner
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Complete Information ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Button Press ◽  
Limited Capacity ◽  
Operant Responding ◽  
Chronic Schizophrenics

Schizophrenics and controls (normals and alcoholics) were compared in terms of their rates of talking (on any topic) and button-press responding when they were instructed to respond in certain ways and when they were reinforced for responding under a fixed ratio (FR) schedule. Subjects were given complete information about response-reinforcement relationships under the FR schedule. The results showed that, when subjects were told to talk at different rates, response rates of the schizophrenics and controls were fairly comparable. Reinforced rates of talking and button-pressing were higher than non-reinforced rates for both the schizophrenics and controls. However, reinforced rates of talking and button-pressing were lower for the schizophrenics compared to the controls. Such apathetic responding by the schizophrenics could not be attributed readily to medication, to a limited capacity for response, to difficulties in understanding the instructions or the contingencies of reinforcement, to the rates of non-reinforced responding, or to the value of the reinforcer (money). It was suggested that the absence of instructions which told the schizophrenics at what rate to respond under the FR schedule may have been a factor.

scholarly journals Intragastric nutrient infusion reduces motivation for food in male and female rats

2018 ◽  
Vol 315 (1) ◽  
pp. E81-E90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Calyn B. Maske ◽  
Gregory C. Loney ◽  
Nicole Lilly ◽  
Sarah J. Terrill ◽  
Diana L. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Food Reward ◽  
Fixed Ratio ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Test Session ◽  
Suppressive Effect ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Operant Responding ◽  
Male And Female Rats ◽  
Nutrient Infusion

The idea that gut-derived satiation signals influence food reward has recently gained traction, but this hypothesis is largely based on studies focused on neural circuitry, not the peripherally released signals. Here, we directly tested the hypothesis that intragastric (IG) nutrient infusion can suppress motivation for food. In a series of experiments, IG sucrose infusion (15 kcal) significantly and reliably reduced operant responding for a sucrose reward on a progressive ratio (PR) schedule. Moreover, food deprivation for 24 h before the test session did not prevent the suppressive effect of nutrients. The suppressive effect of IG sucrose on fixed ratio 5 (FR5) operant responding was also assessed as a comparison. The effect of IG nutrients to reduce motivation was not limited to sucrose; IG Ensure infusion (9.3 kcal) also significantly reduced PR operant responding for sucrose pellets. To verify that these effects were not secondary to the osmotic challenge of concentrated nutrients, we tested IG infusion of noncaloric saline solutions equiosmolar to 40% sucrose or Ensure and found no effect. Finally, we focused on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CCK) as candidate mediators for the effect of IG nutrients. Pretreatment with exendin-9, a GLP-1 receptor antagonist, delivered intraperitoneally, significantly attenuated the ability of IG nutrients to suppress PR responding and breakpoint in males, but not in females, whereas pretreatment with devazepide, a CCKA receptor antagonist, failed to do so in both sexes. Together, these data support the idea that nutrient-induced satiation signals influence food reward and may implicate GLP-1 in this process.

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