Taste-potentiated noise-illness associations

Abstract

In five experiments we attempted to establish aversions to a noise presented each time thirsty rats licked a water source. Using an apparatus and a procedure similar to those of previous studies which reported noise-illness associations, weak taste-potentiated noise-illness associations were found (Experiment 1). However, when the apparatus and procedure were varied, noise-illness associations were not observed (Experiments 3, 4, and 5). The noise used in all of these failures was readily associated with shock (Experiment 2), which indicates that this noise was salient to the rats and could be associated with an aversive event. These failures to find noise-illness associations occurred despite the fact that the conditions were chosen to maximize the likelihood of observing these associations. Taste-illness associations always developed normally. The results are consistent with the idea that conditioned aversions to all exteroceptive stimuli are not equally well potentiated by taste.