Differential Shift in Drive Intensity Level as Discriminable Cue

Hull (1933,6) and Leeper (1935,10) showed experimentally that a drive can function as a cue. Rats can discriminate between hunger and thirst. Hull's (1943,7) explanation is based on the 'principle of patterning.' But Kendler (1946,9) disapproved this explanation and made two assumptions: (1) only those reduced drive stimuli become connected to the rewarded response. (2) in terms of the mechanism of the anticipatory goal response. Bloomberg & Welb (1949,4) and Jenkens & Hanratty (1949,8) all demonstrated that various levels of the same drive can function as cues. The problem is how to explain this phenomenon. It is asserted that the amount of drive reduction at the goal box is different and that can be connected with various responses. This experiment is designed to substantiate the above hypothesis, i. e. to see whether animals can discriminate directions depending upon degrees of shock-drive reduction.