Rats readily avoid tastes paired with illness, although they associate exteroceptive cues less well with toxicosis. In this article, we describe a demonstration that recreates the central features of taste-aversion research. A dark, tasty fluid is paired with a toxin. Students can directly observe the animal's behavior to conclude that the taste component, not the visual component, is associated with internal malaise. This demonstration places in a more concrete context the contribution of animal research to the principles of psychology.
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