Exposure to a protein and tryptonphan deficient diet results in neophilia.

Abstract

A series of three experiments was performed to test the Rozin and Rodgers (1967) conditioned taste-aversion hypothesis of neophilia. All experiments involved the use of a protein-and tryptophan-deficient (grits) diet. In Experiment 1, deprived animals displayed preferences for a novel flavor. When given an alternative, grits raised subjects from Experiment 2 demonstrated aversions to a familiar fluid. The results from Experiment 3 indicate that the laboratory rat is capable of differentiating between two previously encountered flavors--one that was paired with normal laboratory chow, the other with the grits diet. The data from the three experiments extend the Rozin and Rodgers (1967) hypothesis using animals exposed to the experimental grits diet.