Pavlovian autoshaping procedures consist of repeated pairings of a small object conditioned stimulus (CS) with a rewarding substance (US). The autoshaping conditioned response (CR) that develops is a complex sequence of skeletal motor responses that are directed at the CS, and typically include approach and contact responses that culminating in the expression of consummatory-like responses. The proposed studies evaluate the hypothesis that Pavlovian lever directed autoshaping CRs develop in rats that experience repeated pairings of a lever CS with an ethanol solution US. The proposed studies also evaluate the hypothesis that Pavlovian autoshaping CRs develop during lever press operant ethanol oral self-administration procedures by manipulating the predictive relationship between the lever and ethanol, and by manipulating the spatial relationship between the lever and a signal for ethanol availability for lever pressing. If Pavlovian autoshaping CRs develop and summate with lever press operant responding for ethanol, then lever pressing for ethanol should be a positive function of the correlation between the lever and ethanol and the spatial contiguity between the lever and the signal for ethanol availability. This research will further our understanding of the environmental factors that contribute to the development of excessive ethanol drinking.
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