Classical Conditioning

Taste aversion was accidentally discovered by Garcia and Koelling (1966) while they were looking at the effects of radiation on rats.

 

Classical Conditioning and Taste Aversion

Taste aversion was accidentally discovered by Garcia and Koelling (1966) while they were looking at the effects of radiation on rats. The rats became nauseated (UCR) from the radiation (UCS). Because the taste of water from a plastic bottle (CS) was inadvertently paired with the radiation, the rats developed a taste aversion (CR) for this water (CS). Subsequently, the rats drank more from the glass water bottle in their “home” cages (water that didn’t have the plastic taste). When the rats drank from the plastic bottle, the rats became nauseated.

Using the Classical Conditioning Module, the findings of Garcia and Koelling (1966) are explained as follows:

  1. The UCS is the radiation.
  2. The UCR is becoming nauseated from the radiation.
  3. The CS is the “plastic” taste of the water from the plastic water bottles.
  4. The CR is becoming nauseated after drinking from the plastic water bottles.