Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B BEER.
The performance of a rat provided with continuous opportunity to obtain reinforcing brain stimulation over a 20-day period is described in detail. The animal averaged 29.2 responses per min during the entire time. Testing session was terminated by experimenters, but a day-by-day analysis of behavior provided no evidence that the animal would have stopped responding.
Employing response rate as the index of reinforcing strength in self-stimulation experiments is questioned. With water reward or shock avoidance placed in competition with brain stimulation, self-stimulation rate does not reflect relative reinforcement value. The results agree with preference tests which show that, for a given electrode site, stimulus intensity, not rate, is directly related to reward strength.
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Hungry animals were trained to press a lever for brain stimulation. Different tones were presented concurrently with the stimulation. A second lever delivered food only during critical tone periods. Animals were able to discriminate tones presented concurrently with rewarding intracranial stimulation, and they also interrupted self-stimulation behavior to respond appropriately under other reinforcements.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.