Abstract
In two experiments satiated female albino rats learned to press a bar to turn off a bright light, and performance was measured with 0 or 24 hours thirst added on two test days. The 28 Ss of Exp. I received extinction treatment on the test days; 14 Ss of Exp. II continued dark-rewarded bar pressing on the test days. Added thirst had no over-all effect in Exp. I and decreased performance in Exp. II. Ss extinguished with the light always on performed better than those with the light always off, and the amount of decrease from the first to the second extinction day depended in a complex manner on both lighting and thirst conditions. Thus, Hull's prediction of energization by irrelevant drives is not confirmed. The data were considered in relation to Estes' stimulus theory of drive.
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