Isohedonic Contour Maps

Abstract

For several years experiments have been carried out under the following conditions. We have used need-free rats, i.e., animals maintained upon an unlimited supply of tap water and adequate diet, in order to control the appetite-drive factor. We have worked with compound, as well as simple, taste solutions. Compound solutions have a distinct advantage in that hedonically positive and negative solutes can be combined within a single solution that is positively acceptable to rats. We have worked with an electronic preference tester which makes it possible to test squads of six rats simultaneously. The tester is built upon the principle of the electronic drinkometer described by Hill and Stellar (1951).