Motivation and Reward in Learning

Year Published: 1948

Description: Compares a hungry, active rat with a satiated, inactive rat. The hungry animal learns to get food by pressing a bar, while the satiated animal goes to sleep. To demonstrate that failure to learn is due to lack of motivation, a mild electric shock is supplied and the satiated animal becomes active and learns to strike a lever which turns off the shock. Shows the animal also learning to rotate a wheel, bite a rubber tube, and strike another animal to avoid electric shock.