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Science 28 September 1962:
Vol. 137. no. 3535, pp. 1052 - 1054
DOI: 10.1126/science.137.3535.1052
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Articles

Reinforcing Brain Stimulation in Competition with Water Reward and Shock Avoidance

Elliot S. Valenstein 1 and Bernard Beer 1

1 Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C.

Employing response rate as the index of reinforcing strength in self-stimulation experiments is questioned. With water reward or shock avoidance placed in competition with brain stimulation, self-stimulation rate does not reflect relative reinforcement value. The results agree with preference tests which show that, for a given electrode site, stimulus intensity, not rate, is directly related to reward strength.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Morphine lowering of self-stimulation thresholds: lack of tolerance with long-term administration.
R Esposito and C Kornetsky (1977)
Science 195, 189-191
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Attenuation of Aversive Properties of Peripheral Shock by Hypothalamic Stimulation.
V. C. Cox and E. S. Valenstein (1965)
Science 149, 323-325
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