Within-compound flavor associations

Two experiments used a flavor-aversion learning paradigm to detect the presence of associations within a compound of simultaneously presented flavor conditioned stimuli. Exp I exposed 38 male Sprague-Dawley rats to 2 2-element compounds and then administered poison following separate presentation of one element of one compound. Ss were then given test exposures to the 2nd element of each compound. When one element of a compound had been poisoned, consumption of the other element was reduced. Exp II employed 40 additional Ss in a complementary design. After initial nonreinforced exposure, 2 2-element compounds were each followed by poison. Then a compound was extinguished and the S was given test exposures to the 2nd element of each compound. Both designs were such as to imply the occurrence of associative learning, dependent on the joint presentation of the elements in compound. Results suggest that with flavors there is a substantial within-compound learning of associations among simultaneously presented stimuli. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).