Date of Award

1989

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The present study looks at the effects of stomach loads of caffeine on operant behavior in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Four male and four female gerbils were trained to a fixed interval schedule of 30 seconds with Noyes 4.5 mg rodent pellets used for reinforcement. A data collection and analysis package for Apple computers was used to measure the post-reinforcement response frequencies and number of reinforcements. Data was collected using a baseline of saline stomach loads of 1% of body weight, and then stomach loads of ascending concentrations caffeine mixed with saline (10, 20, 40, 60 mg/kg) with two to three days of non-intervention in between each load for the animals to return to baseline. Results show no significant increases in operant behavior regardless of dosage level, although females show a significantly higher activity level than males with the 40 mg/kg dosage of caffeine.

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