TY - JOUR
T1 - Essential value of cocaine and food in rats
T2 - Tests of the exponential model of demand
AU - Christensen, Chesley J.
AU - Silberberg, Alan
AU - Hursh, Steven R.
AU - Huntsberry, Mary E.
AU - Riley, Anthony L.
PY - 2008/6
Y1 - 2008/6
N2 - Rationale: To provide a prospective test of the predictive adequacy of the exponential model of demand (Hursh and Silberberg, Psych Rev 115(1):186-198, 2008). Objectives: In Experiment 1, to measure the 'essential value' (the propensity to defend consumption with changes in price) of cocaine and food in a demand analysis (functional relation between price and consumption) by means of the exponential model; in Experiment 2, to test whether the model's systematic underestimation of cocaine consumption in Experiment 1 was due to weight loss; and in Experiment 3, to evaluate the effects of cocaine on the essential value of food. Materials and methods: In Experiment 1, demand curves for food and cocaine were determined by measuring consumption of these goods in a multiple schedule over a range of fixed ratios; in Experiment 2, a demand curve for only cocaine was determined; and in Experiment 3, demand for food was determined in the absence of cocaine. Results: In Experiment 1, the exponential equation accommodated high portions of variance for both curves, but systematically underestimated cocaine demand; in Experiment 2, this predictive underestimation of the equation was eliminated; and in Experiment 3, the essential value of food was greater than in Experiment 1. Conclusions: The exponential model of demand accommodated the data variance for all cocaine and food demand curves. Compared to food, cocaine is a good of lower essential value.
AB - Rationale: To provide a prospective test of the predictive adequacy of the exponential model of demand (Hursh and Silberberg, Psych Rev 115(1):186-198, 2008). Objectives: In Experiment 1, to measure the 'essential value' (the propensity to defend consumption with changes in price) of cocaine and food in a demand analysis (functional relation between price and consumption) by means of the exponential model; in Experiment 2, to test whether the model's systematic underestimation of cocaine consumption in Experiment 1 was due to weight loss; and in Experiment 3, to evaluate the effects of cocaine on the essential value of food. Materials and methods: In Experiment 1, demand curves for food and cocaine were determined by measuring consumption of these goods in a multiple schedule over a range of fixed ratios; in Experiment 2, a demand curve for only cocaine was determined; and in Experiment 3, demand for food was determined in the absence of cocaine. Results: In Experiment 1, the exponential equation accommodated high portions of variance for both curves, but systematically underestimated cocaine demand; in Experiment 2, this predictive underestimation of the equation was eliminated; and in Experiment 3, the essential value of food was greater than in Experiment 1. Conclusions: The exponential model of demand accommodated the data variance for all cocaine and food demand curves. Compared to food, cocaine is a good of lower essential value.
KW - Behavioral economics
KW - Cocaine
KW - Demand
KW - Exponential model of demand
KW - Food
KW - Lever press
KW - Rats
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U2 - 10.1007/s00213-008-1120-0
DO - 10.1007/s00213-008-1120-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 18351323
AN - SCOPUS:43049150352
SN - 0033-3158
VL - 198
SP - 221
EP - 229
JO - Psychopharmacology
JF - Psychopharmacology
IS - 2
ER -