The spatial distribution of behavior under varying frequencies of temporally scheduled water delivery

Two studies evaluated the effects of response-independent water deliveries on the location (on the floor of the experimental chamber) and position (height) of rats' behavior. In both experiments, fixed-time schedules delivered water in two dispensers that were located at opposite ends of the chamber. In Experiment 1, the two schedules provided complementary frequencies of water deliveries while the overall number of deliveries stayed constant. In Experiment 2, one of the schedules delivered water twice as frequently as the other; this proportion was kept constant while the overall density of water deliveries changed systematically. In both experiments, a single position (height) of behavior was dominant. Also, the percentage of time allocated to each dispenser was roughly proportional to the percentage of water deliveries associated with the dispensers. These data and additional considerations support the importance of examining the spatial properties and patterning of behavior.