Abstract
Sprague-Dawley-derived rats have been selectively bred as strong or weak learners of a cyclophosphamide-induced saccharin aversion. Resultant aversion acquisition appears to be under strong genetic control, but specific mechanisms of strain differentiation remain to be determined. Current research involves possible generality of strain separation across different modes of aversion induction. Naive offspring of strong and weak-conditioner parents of the F-6 selected generation were used to pair the normal CS saccharin solution with two different magnitudes of an alternate mode of aversion induction, rotational stimulation. Six minutes of intermittent rotation produced no evidence of conditioned aversions within either strain, and equivalent results were obtained from weak conditioners exposed to 10 min of rotation. However, strong conditioners exposed to 10 min of rotation acquired significant aversions, thereby demonstrating that strain separation is not simply a function of differential sensitivity to cyclophosphamide, the US basis of genetic selection.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Reference Notes
Elkins, R. L. Differential learning of illness-induced taste aversions and shock-motivated environmental avoidances by rats selectively bred for taste-aversion proneness or resistance to taste aversion acquisition. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1982.
Peacock, L. J., & Fuller, O. W. Radiation-induced taste aversion in two strains of rats. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, Fort Worth, Texas, 1982.
References
Elkins, R. L. Individual differences in bait-shyness: Effects of drug dose and measurement technique. Psychological Record, 1973, 23, 349–358.
Elkins, R. L. Aversion therapy treatment of alcoholism: Chemical, electrical or verbal imaginary? International Journal of the Addictions, 1975, 10, 157–209.
Elkins, R. L. Covert sensitization treatment of alcoholism: Contributions of successful conditioning to subsequent abstinence maintenance. Addictive Behaviors, 1980, 5, 67–89. (a)
Elkins, R. L. A reconsideration of the relevance of recent animal studies for development of treatment procedures for alcoholics. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 1980, 5, 101–113. (b)
Elkins, R. L., & Hobbs, S. H. Forgetting, preconditioning CS familiarization and taste aversion learning: An animal experiment with implications for alcoholism treatment. Behavior Research and Therapy, 1979, 17, 567–573.
Green, L., & Rachlin, H. The effect of rotation on the learning of taste aversions. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1973, 1, 137–138.
Haroutunian, V., & Riccio, D. C. Acquisition of rotation-induced taste aversions as a function of drinking-treatment delay. Physiological Psychology, 1975, 3, 273–277.
Riley, A. L., & Clarke, C. M. Conditioned taste aversions: A bibliography. In L. M. Barker, M. R. Best, & M. Domjan (Eds.), Learning mechanisms in food selection. Waco, Tex: Baylor University Press, 1977.
Voegtlin, W. L. Conditioned reflex therapy of chronic alcoholism. Ten years experience with the method. Rocky Mountain Medical Journal, 1947, 44, 807–812.
Vogel, M. D. The relation of personality factors to GSR conditioning of alcoholics: An exploratory study. Canadian Journal of Psychotherapy, 1960, 14, 275–276.
Winer, B. J. Statistical principles in experimental design. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1962.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by the Medical Research Service of the Veterans Administration.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elkins, R.L., Harrison, W. Rotation-induced taste aversions in strains of rats selectively bred for strong or weak acquisition of drug-induced taste aversions. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 21, 57–60 (1983). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329954
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329954