Novelty and partibility as determinants of hoarding in the albino rat

Experiments on object preferences indicate that there are at least two characteristics that induce albino rats to hoard inedible objects: partible objects are hoarded in preference to nonpartible objects, and novelty results in hoarding when other object-characteristics are controlled. In addition, novel objects may be hoarded by food-deprived rats in preference to food pellets. Hoarding can therefore be integrated into a number of other motivational systems. It is suggested that an incentive concept is necessary to explain hoarding preferences in this species.