From Bruce Abbott (2002.03.01.2140 EST)]
I have just finished posting a brief synopsis of a study by Bernard Weiss
and Victor Laties, published in Science in 1961, entitled "Behavioral
Thermoregulation." Weiss and Laties found that rats would (eventually)
engage in steady lever-pressing for brief exposures to infrared radiation
from a heat lamp after they had been shorn of their fur and had "soaked" for
some time in the refrigerated environment. You can find a picture and some
data from this study on display at my website,
http://users.ipfw.edu/abbott
Page down and click on the link for Perceptual Control Theory (under "My
Research Interests), then click on the link to Weiss and Laties (1961).
Bruce A.
[From Bill Powers (2002.03.02.1709 MST)]
Bruce Abbott (2002.03.01.2140 EST)--
I have just finished posting a brief synopsis of a study by Bernard Weiss
and Victor Laties, published in Science in 1961, entitled "Behavioral
Thermoregulation." Weiss and Laties found that rats would (eventually)
engage in steady lever-pressing for brief exposures to infrared radiation
from a heat lamp after they had been shorn of their fur and had "soaked" for
some time in the refrigerated environment. You can find a picture and some
data from this study on display at my website,
http://users.ipfw.edu/abbott
Page down and click on the link for Perceptual Control Theory (under "My
Research Interests), then click on the link to Weiss and Laties (1961).
Bruce A.
Wonder why the rats didn't search for a means of warming up as they would
search for food and water. And why they eventually started pressing the lever.
In the other study (Stein and Ray), the difference between the two animals
is striking. One of them learns to maintain the stimulus at a _very_
precise setting, while the other never does. This could be a difference in
exactly which control system in the rat was disturbed by the stimulation.
We'll never know.
Best,
Bill P.