Reinforcer devaluation in palatability-based learned flavor preferences.
Title | Reinforcer devaluation in palatability-based learned flavor preferences. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2005 |
Authors | Dwyer, D. M. |
Journal | Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes |
Volume | 31 |
Issue | 4 |
Pagination | 487-92 |
Date Published | 2005 Oct |
Keywords | Analysis of Variance, Animals, Association Learning, Behavior, Animal, Conditioning, Classical, Conditioning, Operant, Flavoring Agents, Food Preferences, Male, Polysaccharides, Rats, Reinforcement (Psychology), Satiety Response, Sucrose, Taste |
Abstract | Rats exposed to simultaneous compounds of 1 neutral flavor with dilute (2%) sucrose and a 2nd flavor with dilute (2%) maltodextrin subsequently consumed both flavors in preference to a 3rd flavor that was never paired with a palatable taste. Brief training exposure under ad lib food and water minimized the post-ingestive effects of nutrients, emphasizing the contribution of palatability to these preferences. Devaluation of sucrose or maltodextrin by pairing with illness (Experiment 1) or sensory-specific satiety (Experiment 2) selectively reduced the preference for the flavor previously paired with the devalued reinforcer. Such reinforcer-specific devaluation effects suggest that palatability-based learned flavor preferences are under-pinned by a Pavlovian process whereby the cue flavor is associated with the taste of the concurrently consumed palatable reinforcer. |
Alternate Journal | J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process |
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