Differential Activity in Rats as a Function of Deprivation,Stimulus Change,and Recording Method

Abstract

The effects of stimulus changes on activity in 20 food-deprived and 20 nondeprived adult rats were studied using a photo-relay method, direct observation, and bar-press rate. Differences in activity as measured by the photo-cells and differences in bar-presses were significant (p < .001) for stimulation, deprivation, and the interactions. Ss in the stimulus change groups had the highest activity counts, their most frequent single behavior being exploration. The results confirmed the utility of the photo-relay system of measurement, demonstrated that stimulus change differentially affected the activity of deprived and nondeprived Ss, and supported the conclusion that stimulation sensitized S to its internal state to which it then reacted.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Amsel

Work

M. S.

Penick

E. C.

Activity during and between periods of stimulus change related to feeding. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1962, 1114–1117.

Baumeister

Hawkins

W. F.

Cromwell

R. L.

Need states and activity level. Psychological Bulletin, 1964, 61, 438–453.

Bolles

R. C.

Effect of food deprivation upon the rat's behavior in its home cage. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1963, 56, 456–460.

Campbell

B. A.

Sheffield

F. D.

Relation of random activity to food deprivation. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1953, 46, 320–322.

Cannon

W. B.

Wisdom of the body. New York: Norton, 1932.

Dashiell

J. F.

Fundamentals of general psychology. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1949.

Deese

The psychology of learning. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1952.

Lubow

R. E.

Tighe

T. J.

A test of the discrepancy hypothesis of motivation using intensity of visual stimulation. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1957, 50, 592–595.

Mathews

S. R.

Jr. Finger

F. W.

Direct observation of the rat's activity during food deprivation. Physiology and Behavior, 1966, 1, 84–88.

10.

Richter

C. F.

A behavioristic study of the activity of the rat. Comparative Psychological Monographs, 1922, 1, 1–55.

11.

Roberts

C. L.

Stimulus and stimulus-change factors governing the free operant rate. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1962, 55, 375–380.

12.

Segal

E. F.

The stability of operant level and its relation to deprivation. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1959, 52, 713–716.

13.

Shirley

Studies of activity, activity rhythms, age and activity, activity after rest. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1928, 8, 159–186.

14.

Siegel

P. S.

Steinberg

Activity level as a function of hunger. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1949, 42, 413–416.

15.

Smith

M. F.

Smith

K. U.

Thirst-motivated activity and its extinction in the cat. Journal of General Psychology, 1939, 21, 89–98.

16.

Strong

P. N.

Jr.

Activity in the white rat as a function of apparatus and hunger. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1957, 50, 596–600.

17.

Tseghtsoonian

Campbell

B. A.

Random activity of the rat during food deprivation as a function of environmental conditions. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1960, 53, 242–244.