Date of Award

12-1978

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Frederick Gault

Second Advisor

Dr. David O. Lyon

Third Advisor

Dr. Paul T. Mountjoy

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Leonard J. Beuving

Abstract

The response-independent, fixed-time delivery of electric tail shock in the squirrel monkey generated bites on a rubber hose immediately following shock delivery and manual responses on a lever immediately preceding shock. The procedure generated two temporally and topographically different responses in the single organism in a single experimental session. All responses were measured objectively via response manipulanda and recorded on cumulative recorders and counters. Nine pharmacological compounds were administered to the squirrel monkey after a stable baseline of bite and lever press responding had been established. Three stimulant compounds - d-amphetamine, caffeine, cocaine; three tranquilizer compounds - nicotine, chlordiazepoxide, chlorpromazine; and three sedative compounds - alcohol, phénobarbital, and morphine were administered on this baseline. The stimulant compounds had the general effect of elevating both responses; the tranquilizer compounds had the general effect of elevating lever press responding while depressing bite responding across a portion of the dosage range; the sedative compounds had the general effect of depressing both responses. Each compound had a differential effect on the response and a complete dose response function was obtained for each subject on each compound. The procedure appears to be a good one for testing behavioral effects of drugs. The responses are contingency free so that the effect of a drug cannot be to alter any response produced environmental consequences. The recording of two separate responses from one organism in a single experimental session allows for the measurement of selective and differential drug effects. The squirrel monkey subject is ideal also because it is a primate and close to the human in drug dosage ranges which enables the possibility of generalizing to the human.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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