A preference in rats for cues associated with intoxication

Abstract

Rats were placed in one compartment of a shuttlebox following ethanol injection and in another compartment following injection with saline. After four or five injection placements in each compartment, Ss showed a preference for the compartment associated with ethanol injection. Noninjected Ss given the series of placements did not develop such a preference. These results suggested that the central effects of ethanol (intoxication) are reinforcing for rats. © 1973, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.