Taste Aversion and Conditioning Concepts

Questions and Answers

Describe or diagram an example of taste aversion conditioning.

In taste aversion conditioning, a rat is given sweet-tasting water and then made to feel sick. After recovering, it prefers normal water over sweet water due to the association of sweet water with illness.

Outline three ways in which taste aversion conditioning differs from most other forms of classical conditioning.

Formation of associations over long delays. 2) One trial conditioning. 3) Specificity of associations.

Define instinctive drift.

Instinctive drift is a phenomenon where genetically based fixed action patterns gradually emerge and displace operantly conditioned behavior.

Give an example of instinctive drift.

An example is a pig that initially deposits a coin for food but gradually starts to display rooting behavior instead. Signup and view all the answers

Define sign tracking.

Sign tracking is when an organism approaches a stimulus that signals the presentation of an appetitive event. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of sign tracking.

A dog approaches a light that signals food delivery instead of the food dish itself. Signup and view all the answers

Define adjunctive behavior.

Adjunctive behavior is an excessive pattern of behavior that emerges as a by-product of an intermittent schedule of reinforcement. Signup and view all the answers

What is schedule-induced polydipsia?

Schedule-induced polydipsia is when rats ingest large amounts of water in a short time due to an intermittent schedule of food reinforcement. Signup and view all the answers

What is a displacement activity?

A displacement activity is an irrelevant behavior exhibited by animals when faced with conflict or thwarted goals. Signup and view all the answers

What is activity anorexia?

Activity anorexia is a condition characterized by high levels of activity and low food intake due to a restricted feeding schedule. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Taste Aversion Conditioning

Involves pairing a preferred food, like sweet water, with illness to create aversion.
Following recovery, the rat chooses normal water over sweet water, indicating that the sweet water has become a conditioned aversive stimulus.
Associations can form even with long delays between food consumption and sickness, unlike typical classical conditioning that relies on close timing.
One trial is often sufficient to create a strong conditioned taste aversion.
Specificity of associations is evident; certain stimuli are more readily connected in the brain due to innate tendencies (CS-US relevance).

Instinctive Drift and Sign Tracking

Instinctive drift occurs when innate behaviors displace learned operant behaviors, as observed when pigs display rooting behaviors instead of depositing coins for food.
Sign tracking involves an organism approaching a stimulus that signals an appetitive event, akin to classical conditioning, such as a dog salivating and displaying food-seeking behaviors toward a light cue before food delivery.

Adjunctive Behavior

Excessive behaviors, known as adjunctive behavior, arise as by-products of intermittent reinforcement schedules.
Schedule-induced polydipsia in rats is characterized by excessive water drinking when lever-pressing for food is reinforced intermittently.
Displacement activities occur when animals engage in irrelevant behaviors due to conflict or frustration.
Benefits include encouraging diverse behaviors in situations and allowing animals to remain in an environment where reinforcement might eventually be accessible.

Activity Anorexia

Defined as heightened activity levels and reduced food intake, often resulting from restricted feeding schedules.
Experimentally induced in rats by limiting food access to a short daily window while providing continuous access to a running wheel, leading to increased running behavior over time.

Description

This quiz explores key concepts in taste aversion conditioning, highlighting how organisms form aversions to food based on illness experiences. It also covers instinctive drift and sign tracking, illustrating the interaction between innate behaviors and learned responses in operant conditioning.