Some properties of conditioned and unconditioned eyelid reflexes in the albino rat

Eyelid responses in the rat were recorded as electromyographic activity (EMG) or as movements detected by a photoelectric technique. Spontaneous blinks, startle responses to acoustic stimuli, unconditioned responses to air puffs, and conditioned responses based on the corneal reflex were recorded under a variety of conditions. Special attention was given to topographical and temporal characteristics of the responses. Some relationships between the EMG and eyelid movements are described, as well as changes in eyelid responses related to habituation, conditioning, and various stimulus manipulations, In addition to the substantive findings, the study suggests that the rat may yet become a useful S in the study of eyelid conditioning.     

Interactive effects of deprivation in the albino rat

The interactive effects of feeding and drinking schedules were investigated in three experiments. Twenty-four hour water-deprived rats consumed their entire obligatory water intake prior to feeding, whereas 24-hr food-deprived rats consumed only small quantities of food prior to drinking. This drinking was apparently due to a shift of water stores rather than an actual negative water balance. Experiment 3 investigated the effects of 24, 48, or 72 hr of water, food, or total deprivation. Water-deprived rats did not adequately suppress food intake and became thirstier than totally deprived rats. The effects of total deprivation were essentially identical to those of food deprivation. These experiments indicate the degree to which deprivation schedules impose restrictions on the reinforcement parameters of behavioral experiments.