Motivational specificity of the signal value of odor cues

Abstract

The performance of the laboratory rat in the enclosed maze apparatus is profoundly influenced by subject-generated cues that seem to be olfactory. The present experiment investigated the specificity of these cues. Odor cues produced by odor-donor rats placed in the startbox were ineffective determinants of the behavior of runway-trained rats when the deprivation states of these two groups differed. However, when the deprivation states of these two groups coincided, the odor cues produced by the odor-donor rats became effective determinants of performance. Thus, it would appear that even though odor cues are influential in determining the runway performance of the rat subject, their effectiveness may well be drive-state dependent.

A reexamination of the effects of motivational state on utilization of conspecific odors in the rat

“…Specifically, Weaver and Davis reported that when both food-and water-deprived subjects were run together in one squad and reinforced with the same substance (a 32% sucrose-water solution), discriminations developed in the goal measure. However, since the procedures used by Weaver and Davis were quite different from those used earlier by Davis et al (1974) and Davis et al (1976)-that is, donors were not used to supply odor cues in the startbox and a single reinforcer was used-it is not clear why test subjects in the earlier studies failed to discriminate donors' odors when the motivational states of donors and test subjects were different.…”

“…Davis et aI. (1974) and Davis, Prytula, Noble, and Mollenhour (1976) provided evidence that successful use of odors as cues for responding may be related to specific conditions associated with foodversus water-deprivation and/or reward. Using startboxplaced donor subjects, Davis et aI.…”

“…Using startboxplaced donor subjects, Davis et aI. (1974) and Davis et al (1976) found that runway-trained test subjects responded…”

“…The present experiment utilized the procedures described by Davis et al (1974) and Davis et al (1976) and further evaluated the apparent limits specific motivational conditions impose on the discriminative use of conspecific odors by the rat. The experiment's purpose was threefold.…”

Are there constraints on learned responses to odors from rewarded and nonrewarded rats?

“…Their adaptive significance exceeds this simple relationship. However, the results of this experiment do not rule out the possibility that Rand N odors may have limited utilization under certain other circumstances (Davis, Prytula, Noble, & Mollenhour, 1976; Eslinger & Travis-Neideffer, Note 4). …”