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Differential Lick Rates in Opossum: A Challenge to the Invariance Hypothesis

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Abstract

Licking for water was measured in 4 23-hr.-deprived Virginia opossums. Burst rate ranged from 1.8–6.0 licks/sec. with a mean of 3.36 licks/sec. ±.35 σ. Both sexes licked faster at 2200 hr. than at 1000 hr., and males displayed more burst-rate variability at night. Males showed a drop in burst rate within sessions, and females showed a progressive increase in burst duration across replications. Results are viewed as challenging the long-standing idea that lick rates are invariant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24504, USA

    Donna M. Cone, Al L. Cone, Anthony J. Golden & Sidney L. Sanders

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  1. Donna M. Cone
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  2. Al L. Cone
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  3. Anthony J. Golden
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  4. Sidney L. Sanders
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Additional information

Thanks to Zane Owen for help in collecting the data and taming the subjects and to Lila Goodson and Margaret Conley for reducing the oscillograph data to digital data.

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Cone, D.M., Cone, A.L., Golden, A.J. et al. Differential Lick Rates in Opossum: A Challenge to the Invariance Hypothesis. Psychol Rec 23, 343–347 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394177

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394177

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