Publication Date

5-1975

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

James Craig, Leroy Metze, Lourine Cave

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

For 10 days, seven female and five male albino rats were given a choice between barpressing for water or drinking it freely without having to perform. Prior to the choice sessions, the animals had to earn their total water intake for either 0, 5, 15, or 25 days. All 12 animals worked for a part of their total reinforcement intake during testing. However, an analysis of variance showed that work preference increased as the amount of time the animals spent earning their total water intake increased (p<.05). These results were discussed in terms of White's (1959) competency hypothesis.

Disciplines

Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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