A new approach to study preference: Applying Hernsteins matching
law in a two bottles paradigm
C. Sanchis-Segura1, R. Spanagel1, F.A. Hehn2
and B. Vollmayr2
1Department of Psychopharmacology, CIMH, Mannheim.
Germany
2Biochemical laboratory, CIMH, Mannheim, Germany
In preclinical research, as they cannot be directly assessed, hedonic
properties of a stimulus are usually inferred by analyzing its preference
over another control stimulus (i.e. water). Here we present
a method to obtain a more sophisticated index of preference. This procedure
is very similar to other two-bottles based sucrose preference tests. Thus,
this method also consist in an evaluation of the preference of different
sucrose concentrations over water but it also includes subtle comparisons
among different sucrose concentrations simultaneously available for a
restricted time (in our case, 1 hour). These discrete preference comparisons
are then used to estimate a general pattern in the preference allocation
and its correspondence towards the relative magnitude of the reinforcement
sources available. This is accomplished by applying the generalized matching
law equation and basically consists on the estimation of the regression
line relating changes in preference according to changes in the ratio
of two reward sizes simultaneously available. This test has some advantages
over traditional methods:
- It does not require deprivation.
- It is more sensitive.
- It is obtained across a wide range of conditions.
- It provides a function describing the dynamic relationship between
reinforcer magnitude changes and individuals behavioral allocation
of preference.
Paper presented
at Measuring Behavior 2005
, 5th International Conference on Methods and Techniques
in Behavioral Research, 30 August - 2 September 2005, Wageningen, The
Netherlands.
© 2005 Noldus
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