Running wheel activity in the white rat as a function of activity restriction and food deprivation

Abstract

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston UniversityThe current study was conducted to determine whether restriction acts as a drive when suitable controls for the hunger drive are provided. The employment of hunger drive provided a systematic comparison between the two drives, activity and hunger, as well as answering the question of of whether Hill's findings of increases in running following restriction was produced by restriction alone or confounded by mild hunger states, together with restriction. In summary, the present study examined the following sets of relationships: (1) the effects of length of restriction on running activity; (2) the effects of level of food deprivation on running activity; (3) the effectsof length of restriction on running activity as a function of levels of food deprivation; (4) the interrelationships of the two drive variables when individual differences in running behavior are considered. [TRUNCATED