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The conditioning of aversions to familiar and preferred flavours: a new aversion therapy model
Author(s) -
Clarke J. C.,
Manza Lisa M.,
Sclafani Anthony
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1080/09595239000185441
Subject(s) - flavour , conditioning , preference , psychology , taste aversion , food science , taste , chemistry , mathematics , statistics
The present study examined the ability of rats to develop aversions to familiar flavours and to flavours that they had previously acquired a preference for. Rats were first conditioned to prefer a CS+ flavour over a CS‐ flavour by pairing CS+ intake with the consumption of a starch solution (16% Polycose). A second group was exposed to the same training but preference conditioning was prevented by inhibiting starch digestion with the drug acarbose. The rats were next given aversion training; the CS+ flavour was now paired with toxicosis (LiCl injection) while the CS‐ flavour paired with a control treatment (NaCl injection). The results of two‐choice tests revealed that aversion training produced significant avoidance of the CS+ flavours in both the group that had acquired a preference for this flavour as well as in the no‐preference group. The value of using conditioned flavour preferences as targets for aversions to model the aversion therapy approach to alcoholism is discussed.