Authors

Peter Mirabelle

Publication Date

8-1976

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Leroy Metze, James Craig, Retta Poe

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

In an experiment which investigated the effects of stress on the Protestant Ethic Effect (PEE) 12 Wistar rats were trained for 20 days to barpress for their total water intake. Following training the rats were divided into two groups and were allowed to choose between barpressing for a 10% sucrose solution and consuming a freely available sucrose solution under either stress or nonstress conditions. Stress was defined as a .01 cc per 36g body weight injection of norepinephrine. The stress and nonstress conditions were counterbalanced during the choice session. Regardless of stress order both groups preferred the free over the earned solution. The preference for the free reinforce is discussed in terms of strain of rat used in the experiment as well as the physiological effects of norepinephrine.

Disciplines

Applied Behavior Analysis | Experimental Analysis of Behavior | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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