Utilization and dominance of spatially separated cues as a function of water deprivation

Utilization and dominance of physically separate redundant-relevant cues were measured in albino rats under moderate (18 h/day) or high (23.5 h/day) water deprivation. Cues were located on goal doors (brightness) and the floor (texture) in a two-choice discrimination apparatus. Three experiments were carried out with the following paradigms: incidental cue, redundant-relevant cue discrimination, and optional shift discrimination. Deprivation did not affect rate of acquisition of initial discrimination or cue dominance. Cue utilization, however, was inversely related to deprivation in redundant-relevant cue and optional shift discrimination tasks. These effects were limited, however. Over-training on the redundant-relevant cue task eliminated the effect. Within the optional shift situation, only animals that initially acquired a texture cue discrimination were affected by deprivation. Other factors affecting cue utilization in these experiments were also described and discussed.