The Effect of Reward Preference in the Double-Runway

15 male rats were trained under four experimental conditions, 30 trials for each condition. in a double-runway with the first and second goal varied either with less preference reward (L) or more preference reward (M). The results showed that the rank orders of running speed and drinking latency in the first alley (A1 performance) of the four conditions were: L-M, M-M, M-L and L-L, and in the second alley (A2 performance) were L-M, M-M, L-L and M-L. Premack's concept of relativity of reinforcement, Amsel's frustration theory, anticipation of aversive consequence, and the direct function of the immediate reward must be combined to explain the effect of different reward preference located in the first and second goal compartment on the A1 and A2 performance.