L4 - behavioural pharmacology

behavioural pharmacology

study of the relationship between the pharmacological actions of drugs their effects on behaviour and psychological function

how do we examine the reinforcing/incentive properties of drugs

• conditioned place preference learning

• drug self-administration

• models of relapse

ratio schedules

fixed ratio - reinforcement after every n response

variable ratio - number of presses requires is unpredictable but varies around some mean

interval schedules

fixed interval - reinforcement given for press after a a fixed delay

variable interval - reinforcement given when first press after a varying delay around a mean

inverted - u - shaped curve