THE INFLUENCE OF FLAVORED SOLUTION CONCENTRATION ON THE POISONED-PARTNER EFFECT

Two experiments are reported in which we attempted to replicate the po isoned-partner effect, varying the concentration of a novel-tasting so lution. Unpoisoned rats exhibited an aversion to a saccharin solution that had been consumed previously in the presence of a poisoned rat wh en it had a concentration of 0.6% but did not when it was of 0.15%. Th ese results seem to show that the poisoned-partner effect depends upon the intensity of the solution employed and to suggest that it may be facilitated by a low initial consumption. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc .