Abstract
In seeking to measure the effects of some independent variables on polydipsic ethanol consumption and/or ethanol selection of rats in a “free choice” situation, researchers commonly reduce the weight of all experimental subjects. Failure to control for the independent effects of this weight reduction may cause confounding of the treatment variables. The present study is an investigation of the effects of weight reduction on ethanol selection and ethanol consumption in a “free choice” polydipsic situation. Two groups of five rats were used; one group was reduced to 80% of their free-feeding weight and the other group was not reduced. The degree of ethanol selection and quantity of ethanol consumed by weight-reduced rats was significantly greater than the other group. Results were discussed in terms of their implications for future research.
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Ims, J., Best, J. & Senter, R.J. Weight reduction and “free choice” polydipsic ethanol consumption. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 7, 387–389 (1976). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337224
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337224