Significant Increase In Preference Research Articles

Semilongitudinal Research on Changes in Seniors’ Motivation for Education in the Context of Third Age Universities

The article focuses on the comparison of differences in the results of research surveys conducted in 2011 and 2021, which were aimed at the analysis of various aspects related to the interest-related education of seniors at universities of the third age (U3A). Both studies focused on motivation to study, preferred forms and methods of education and the content of individual courses implemented within the U3A at the J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. In 2011 N = 154 respondents took part in the survey, in 2021 N = 70 respondents (this lower number was due to restrictions and limitations of U3A education related to the covid-19 pandemic ). The results show quite significant differences, particularly in the preference for teaching methods (e.g. a significant increase in preference for e-learning) and differences in the content of courses (e.g. an increase in preference for courses focusing on foreign languages). There has also been a change in the motivation of U3A learners, which has been particularly evident in the strengthening of the social aspects of learning.

Imaginative Enrichment Produces Higher Preference for Unusual Music Than Historical Framing: A Literature Review and Two Empirical Studies.

Does accompanying information (“framing”) such as in a program note influence our preference for music? To date the findings have been mixed, although a small body of research has suggested that when framing accompanies music considered unusual (characterized by extreme complexity and extreme unfamiliarity), the music may be preferred compared to when no such framing occurs. A literature review (study 1) revealed that for 50% of experiments where valenced framing (positive versus negative suggestions of prestige) was manipulated, positive framing was accompanied by significantly higher ratings of preference and/or quality judgements. However, only one example contained music that could be considered unusual (atonal music). We therefore conducted two follow-up experiments, with each examining the influence of valenced framing as well as historical framing (accompanying historical details) for music intended to be unusual. Study 2 manipulated framing for an excerpt using atonal music, although we were unable to find evidence that positively valenced historical framing increased preference for this piece. A surprising finding in study 2 was that our active control—requiring the participant to engage imaginatively with the music—produced a significant increase in preference. Subsequently, in study 3 we examined the same three framing conditions and included both an unusual excerpt (free jazz) as well as an over-familiar, typical excerpt for comparison (being a repeatedly pre-exposed classical piano piece). Study 3 produced no significant differences in preference ratings between the two historical conditions, although a positive impact of imagination was again evident. We concluded that the impact of historical framing may be highly subjective and not of favorable consequence to the typical listener. Furthermore, while imaginative engagement appears a fruitful avenue for further preference research, it has been largely ignored.

Effects of Reinforcement Parameters on Preference for an Increased Duration of Reinforcement in Pigeons

Pigeons were trained in a two-key, concurrent-chains choice procedure to investigate the effects of increased relative duration of reinforcement on preference. Throughout the study, the initial- and terminal-link schedules were equal for both choices. Across conditions, the duration of reinforcement in the terminal links was either equal or unequal. Equal durations were 3 s versus 3 s. Unequal durations were 3 s versus 6 s. Pigeons accessed the relatively longer duration of reinforcement via a food hopper elevated for one 6-s reinforcement interval or two successive 3-s reinforcement intervals separated by a 0.1-s blackout. The color of the light that illuminated the relatively longer duration was either the same as or different from the color of the light that illuminated the relatively shorter duration. A significantly greater mean preference ratio was recorded in conditions in which the hopper lights were different and when the 6-s reinforcement interval was presented as two successive 3-s hopper activations. The combination of the two procedures resulted in the greatest significant increase in preference. The differential hopper lights and multiple successive intervals of grain access facilitated the discrimination of the longer duration of reinforcement and allowed the hopper to replenish with grain, respectively. The combined arrangement of increased access to grain resulted in enhanced control of preference by the relative reinforcement duration.

Efficacy of a Decision Aid Consisting of a Video and Booklet on Advance Care Planning for Advanced Cancer Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial

ContextFew randomized controlled trials of advance care planning (ACP) with a decision aid (DA) show an effect on patient preferences for end-of-life (EOL) care over time, especially in racial/ethnic settings outside the U.S. ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to examine the effect of a decision aid consisting of a video and an ACP booklet for EOL care preferences among patients with advanced cancer. MethodsUsing a computer-generated sequence, we randomly assigned (1:1) patients with advanced cancer to a group that received a video and workbook that both discussed either ACP (intervention group) or cancer pain control (control group). At baseline, immediately after intervention, and at 7 weeks, we evaluated the subjects' preferences. The primary outcome was preference for EOL care (active treatment, life-prolonging treatment, or hospice care) on the assumption of a fatal disease diagnosis and the expectation of death 1) within 1 year, 2) within several months, and 3) within a few weeks. We used Bonferroni correction methods for multiple comparisons with an adjusted P level of 0.005. ResultsFrom August 2017 to February 2018, we screened 287 eligible patients, of whom 204 were enrolled to the intervention (104 patients) or the control (100 patients). At postintervention, the intervention group showed a significant increase in preference for active treatment, life-prolonging treatment, and hospice care on the assumption of a fatal disease diagnosis and the expectation of death within 1 year (P < 0.005). Assuming a life expectancy of several months, the change in preferences was significant for active treatment and hospice care (P < 0.005) but not for life-prolonging treatment. The intervention group showed a significant increase in preference for active treatment, life-prolonging treatment, and hospice care on the assumption of a fatal disease diagnosis and the expectation of death within a few weeks (P < 0.005). From baseline to 7 weeks, the decrease in preference in the intervention group was not significant for active treatment, life-prolonging treatment, and hospice care in the intervention group in the subset expecting to die within 1 year, compared with the control group. Assuming a life expectancy of several months and a few weeks, the change in preferences was not significant for active treatment and for life-prolonging treatment but was significantly greater for hospice care in the intervention group (P < 0.005). ConclusionACP interventions that included a video and an accompanying book improved preferences for EOL care.

Effects of methylmercury on mosquito oviposition behavior: Maladaptive response to non-toxic exposure

Animals can modulate their own exposure to environmental contaminants through behavioral plasticity such as diet and habitat choice. However, it remains unclear if behavior also has cascading effects on contaminant exposure across multiple generations. In insects, oviposition site selection is an important behavior females can use to modify offspring contaminant exposure risk. In this study, we use the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, to test how methylmercury (MeHg) affects oviposition site selection. We found that mosquito larval development rate and survival were negatively affected at MeHg concentrations ≥100 ppb. Adult females not exposed to MeHg as larvae avoided oviposition sites with high MeHg concentrations (>50 ppb), but MeHg exposure at the larval stage significantly affected this oviposition site selection. Specifically, females raised from larvae exposed to non-toxic MeHg levels (i.e., five-50 ppb) showed a significant increase in preference for oviposition sites contaminated with toxic MeHg concentrations (≥500 ppb), compared to unexposed controls. This maladaptive behavioral response could be because, when conditioned with non-toxic MeHg concentrations, MeHg-associated olfactory cues act as a “supernormal” stimulus during oviposition site selection. Importantly, however, this maladaptive behavioral response is eliminated in female mosquitoes raised from larvae exposed to toxic MeHg concentrations (i.e. 100 ppb), and these mosquitoes showed a significant increase in preference for MeHg uncontaminated oviposition sites, compared to unexposed controls. Thus, in mosquitoes, the magnitude of MeHg exposure in one generation can impact MeHg exposure in subsequent generations by altering oviposition site selection behavior. Our results have broad implications for our understanding of how contaminant-mediated behavioral modifications can feedback on contaminant exposure risk across multiple generations, and consequently how behavior can affect the evolutionary trajectory of organisms inhabiting a heterogeneously contaminated environment.

Student attitudes towards library usage and sources at a Turkish university

Library instruction programs for students are still in developmental stages at many Turkish universities. English-language resources are available to teach information literacy skills to students majoring in English Language and Literature. This study surveyed students majoring in English Language and Literature about their attitudes towards library usage and sources. Approximately two-thirds of students had received online information literacy training in English. Student attitudes revealed a distinct preference for Internet sources over library sources and a belief that Internet sources are more likely than library sources to provide them with the information they need for their major classes. However, students that had received information literacy training showed a statistically significant increase in preference for library usage and sources over students that did not receive this training.

동반음식 섭취에 따른 시판약주의 조화정도 및 기호도 변화 분석

본 연구에서는 관능특성이 다른 시판약주 4종과 우리나라 대표 안주로 여겨지는 6종의 동반음식간의 조화정도를 평가하고 동반음식 섭취에 따른 이들 약주 기호도의 변화를 파악하였다. 관능특성이 다른 약주와 6종의 동반음식 간의 유의적인 조화도의 차이가 파악되었으며 이들 동반음식의 섭취가 약주의 기호도에 전반적으로 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 동반음식과 약주의 조화정도에 따른 기호도의 섭취 전 후의 일관된 변화 패턴은 파악되지 않았다. 향후 약주와 동반음식간의 조화정도와 기호도 개선을 위해서는 먼저 약주 뿐 아니라 동반음식의 향미 패턴도 정량적으로 분석하여 제품간의 향미패턴 차이에 따른 조화정도와 기호도 변화를 파악하여야 할 것으로 여겨진다. 또한 본 연구에서 사용된 조화정도 척도의 경우 와인과 치즈의 조화도 평가에 대개 사용되는 것으로 향후 우리술의 평가에 적합한 척도의 개발이 필요할 것으로 여겨진다. Four Korean commercial rice wines of diverse sensory properties were hedonically rated by 41 consumers. Each rice wine was paired with the selection from six widely popular compatible foods such as kimchi-jjigae, dotori-muk muchim, tteok-galbi, beoseot-jeongol, satae pyeonyuk, and haemul pajeon, and consumers were asked to rate the ideal match of each pair of four rice wines and six compatible foods by using a structured, 12-cm 'just right' line scale. Hedonic ratings of wines were additionally measured after intake of the food-wine pairs. Flavor matches of rice wines with strong ginseng, medicinal, and earthy flavor (JK) or with intense grain and sweet flavor (HS) were significantly higher compared to wines with fruity (SS) or mild-balanced (BS) flavor. The preference for HS wine, which ideally matched satae pyeonyuk, increased most significantly after intake of satae pyeonyuk, while the SS wine that matched ideally with kimchi jjigae did not show any significant increase in preference after intake of kimchi jjigae. Matching wines with food does not negatively affect the preference for the wine; rather, intake of a wine-food pairing increases the overall preference for rice wine.

Assessment of Gustatory Responses to Different Sugars in Harnessed and Free-Moving Bumblebee Workers (Bombus terrestris)

For bumblebee colony survival, sugar responses are crucial as nectar is the main carbohydrate source and flower choice is likely determined by sugar composition. This study used a bioassay both with harnessed and with free-moving workers of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris to study the gustatory response to the 3 major plant sugars by both groups. In harnessed workers of B. terrestris, a concentration of 5.5% of fructose and glucose was required to induce the proboscis extension reflex in 50% of the workers, whereas for sucrose, a much higher concentration of 40% was needed. In contrast, free-moving workers given a choice between 30% glucose, 30% sucrose, 30% fructose, and water showed a strong preference for sucrose (66% of individuals) compared with 18% for glucose and 16% for fructose; water was never chosen. Familiarization with 30% fructose provoked a significant increase in preference toward fructose, indicating plasticity. In addition, by amputation of the tarsi, it was found that tarsi plays a role in the sugar response with especially the foreleg tarsi being involved in the response to fructose. Our results demonstrated that sugar response is different in free-moving versus harnessed bumblebee workers and that tarsi plays a role in sugar perception.

Conditioned Preference to a Methamphetamine-Associated Contextual Cue in Humans

Classical conditioning is widely used to study motivational properties of addictive drugs in animals, but has rarely been used in humans. We established a procedure suitable for studying the neurobiology and individual determinants of classical conditioning in humans. Healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to four groups that received methamphetamine or placebo in the presence of distinctive environmental cues under paired or unpaired conditions. During each session, subjects performed tasks known to activate the ventral striatum. Tasks were performed in the presence of a distinctive context, consisting of a screen background image of a beach or mountains, accompanied by corresponding sounds. Separate groups of subjects carried out the tasks under high ($35-50) or low ($5-20) reward conditions. Within each of the two reward conditions, one group (paired) received methamphetamine (20 mg, oral) or placebo consistently associated with one of the contexts, while the other (unpaired) received drug or placebo unrelated to context. A fifth group (paired) performed the tasks with contextual cues but in the absence of monetary incentives. Before and after conditioning, participants carried out a series of forced choice tasks for the contextual cues, and change of preference over time was analyzed. All paired groups showed a significant increase in preference for the drug-associated context, with a linear trend for increase across the levels of reward. Preference was unrelated to subjective drug effects, and did not change in the unpaired group. These data support the translational utility of our conditioning procedure for studies of reward mechanisms in humans.

Behavioral Analysis of Drosophila Transformants Expressing Human Taste Receptor Genes in the Gustatory Receptor Neurons

: Transgenic Drosophila expressing human T2R4 and T2R38 bitter-taste receptors or PKD2L1 sour-taste receptor in the fly gustatory receptor neurons and other tissues were prepared using conventional Gal4/UAS binary system. Molecular analysis showed that the transgene mRNAs are expressed according to the tissue specificity of the Gal4 drivers. Transformants expressing the transgene taste receptors in the fly taste neurons were then studied by a behavioral assay to analyze whether transgene chemoreceptors are functional and coupled to the cell response. Since wild-type flies show strong aversion against the T2R ligands as in mammals, the authors analyzed the transformants where the transgenes are expressed in the fly sugar receptor neurons so that they promote feeding ligand-dependently if they are functional and activate the neurons. Although the feeding preference varied considerably among different strains and individuals, statistical analysis using large numbers of transformants indicated that transformants expressing T2R4 showed a small but significant increase in the preference for denatonium and quinine, the T2R4 ligands, as compared to the control flies, whereas transformants expressing T2R38 did not. Similarly, transformants expressing T2R38 and PKD2L1 also showed a similar preference increase for T2R38-specific ligand phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and a sour-taste ligand, citric acid, respectively. Taken together, the transformants expressing mammalian taste receptors showed a small but significant increase in the feeding preference that is taste receptor and also ligand dependent. Although future improvements are required to attain performance comparable to the endogenous robust response, Drosophila taste neurons may serve as a potential in vivo heterologous expression system for analyzing chemoreceptor function.

Costs of pair-bonding and paternal care in male prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster)

The direct costs of paternal care are relatively well documented in primates, however little research has explored these effects in monogamous rodents. The present study examines the long-term effects that pairing and parenting have on male prairie voles. We hypothesized that there would be a significant weight loss over the course of pairing and parenting, presumably from the energetic demands that accompany these changes in social condition. In a longitudinal study, we followed ten male prairie voles through being housed with their brother; paired with a female; and caring for three consecutive litters. We found a significant drop in bodyweight across time, with maximum weight loss near the weaning of the first litter. At that same time, feeding increased, leading to possible recovery in weight; however, leptin levels dropped precipitously across time and did not recover. Corticosterone did not change significantly across time points, and overall activity levels also did not vary significantly over the course of the study. In addition, newly paired males showed a significant increase in preference for a 2% sucrose solution during a three-hour test, indicating a metabolic need for more calories. A cross-sectional study confirmed leptin and corticosterone findings, and showed significant loss of subcutaneous (inguinal) fat in males that had cared for a litter of pups, when compared to males housed with their brothers or newly paired males. These results suggest that cohabitation with a female, and caring for pups, all have costs for male prairie voles.

Efficacy of Risk‐Based, Culturally Sensitive Ogaa (Walleye) Consumption Advice for Anishinaabe Tribal Members in the Great Lakes Region

The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) has produced Ogaa (walleye-Sander vitreus) consumption advisories since 1996 for Anishinaabe from GLIFWC member tribes in the 1837 and 1842 ceded territories of Wisconsin. GLIFWC's advisory maps were revised in 2005 to address cultural sensitivities (to protect tribal lifeways), to utilize recent mercury exposure information, and to incorporate changes in advisory levels for methyl mercury. Lake-specific, risk-based, culturally sensitive consumption advice was provided on color-coded maps for two groups: children under age 15 years and females of childbearing age, and males 15 years and older and females beyond childbearing age. The maps were distributed to, and a behavioral intervention program developed for, the six GLIFWC member tribes in Wisconsin as well as member tribes in Minnesota and the 1842 ceded territory of Michigan. Tribal fish harvesters, tribal health care providers, women of childbearing age or with young children, tribal leaders, elders, and children were targeted specifically for the behavioral intervention. The efficacy of the behavioral intervention was assessed using surveys of 275 tribal fish harvesters from Wisconsin, 139 tribal harvesters from Michigan and Minnesota, and 156 Wisconsin women of childbearing age. Significant increases in the percentage of survey participants who indicated awareness of advisory maps occurred among Wisconsin harvesters (increase from 60% to 77%), Michigan and Minnesota harvesters (29% to 51%), and women of childbearing age in Wisconsin (40% to 87%). A significant increase in preference for smaller Ogaa occurred among tribal harvesters in Wisconsin (41% to 72%) and tribal harvesters in Michigan and Minnesota (49% to 71%), although not among women of childbearing age. The GLIFWC map-based advisory program did not adversely affect tribal harvest of Ogaa, which increased from 63,000 to 88,000 fish in the three states after the intervention.

Simultaneous Color Contrast in 4-Month-Old Infants

The present paper addresses the question of simultaneous color contrast in 4-month-old human infants. A temporal modulation paradigm was employed for infant testing. In this paradigm, infants viewed two test disks presented side-by-side: one of unchanging chromaticity (static) and another of the chromaticity varied in time (temporally modulated). The test stimuli were embedded in a surround that was either static or temporally modulated in phase with the modulated test stimulus. The temporally modulated test stimuli were chosen in such a way as to appear static to adults when viewed in the temporally modulated surround. On the basis of the observation that infants prefer to look more at flickering stimuli, the prediction is that, if infants have adult-like simultaneous color contrast, their preference for the temporally modulated stimulus should decrease and their preference for the static stimulus should increase when the surround is also temporally modulated as described. In concordance with this prediction, a significant increase in preference for the temporally static stimuli was observed with the introduction of temporal modulation in the surround. The data are consistent with the conclusion that infants as young as 4 months of age have simultaneous color contrast.

Augmented cocaine-induced accumbal dopamine efflux, motor activity and place preference in rats fed with a tryptophan-deficient diet

In the present study we demonstrate that consumption of a tryptophan-deficient diet for a period of 14 days decreased the striatal serotonin and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid tissue content in rats, whereas the level of dopamine remained unchanged. Under this condition of diminished serotonergic tone, a challenge dose of cocaine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly increased motor activity and dopamine extracellular content in the nucleus accumbens compared to rats fed with a balanced diet. We moreover found that pretreatment with cocaine (7 and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a significant increase in preference for a cocaine-associated environment in the tryptophan-deficient group compared to control rats. Our experiments show that a low tone of serotonergic system, augments the behavioural reinforcing effect of cocaine and that this effect may be due to a increased cocaine-induced accumbal dopamine release. These data indicate that a tryptophan-deficient diet alters the behavioural and neurochemical effect of psychostimulants, such as cocaine, and suggest an important role of serotonin in modulation of these effects.

Single or Mixed Sex Wards in Psychiatric Hospital from the Patients' Viewpoint

OBJECTIVE: Preference on separate or mixed sex treatment should be evaluated from the viewpoint of patients of a psychiatric hospital. METHODS: The preference of patients were surveyed by questionnaire before and after mixing four single sex wards. The adjusted response rate was 74.5 %. RESULTS: About 75 % of psychiatric patients prefer a mixed sex ward, about 25 % prefer a single sex ward. Females more frequently confirm the type of ward to whom they were actually allocated. By contrast, males are in favour for mixed sex wards independently of the presently experienced type of ward. Younger patients, voluntarily admitted patients, and patients with substance addiction prefer mixed sex wards. After mixing the sexes of formerly single sex wards a significant increase in preference of mixed sex wards was found, due to increased affirmation by female patients. CONCLUSION: If single sex wards can be established in a psychiatric hospital considering their size, specialisation of wards, and sector of care, patients are enabled to choose between a single and mixed sex ward at admission.

Single sex or mixed sex treatment in the psychiatric clinic from the viewpoint of patients

Patients in a psychiatric hospital were surveyed by questionnaire to evaluate their preferences on separate or mixed-sex treatment. The adjusted response rate was 74.5%. About 75% of the responders preferred a mixed ward and about 25% preferred a single-sex ward. Females more frequently chose the type of ward to which they had been allocated. By contrast, males were in favour of mixed wards, independently of their present type of ward. Younger patients, voluntarily admitted patients, and those with substance addiction preferred mixed-sex wards. After mixing the sexes in formerly single-sex wards, a significant increase in preference of mixed-sex wards was found, due to increased affirmation by female patients. However, about 9% of women and men preferred single-sex treatment. Two open general psychiatric wards, each with 20 beds and separating females and males, could be established in psychiatric hospitals to satisfy this preference.

Ethanol‐Reinforced Responding by AA and ANA Rats Following the Sucrose‐Substitution Initiation Procedure

Ethanol-reinforced responding was initiated in male AA and ANA rats using the sucrose-substitution procedure. Before the initiation procedure, a homecage, two-bottle preference test was conducted. The rats were then trained to respond on an Fixed-Ratio 1 schedule with sucrose reinforcement. Over sessions, ethanol was added gradually to the sucrose solution as the concentration of sucrose was reduced until 10% ethanol (v/v) alone functioned as the reinforcer for lever pressing. The schedule of reinforcement was then increased to Fixed-Ratio 4. Next, the ethanol concentration presented as the reinforcer was increased over weeks to 15%, 20%, 30%, and then returned to 10%. A second homecage test was then performed. The results showed that the AA and ANA lines differed significantly on preference and intake (g/kg) during the homecage preference tests. There was a significant increase in preference during the second homecage test. During sucrose substitution, initial large differences in responding were observed between the lines. When the ethanol concentration was increased, intake (grams per kilogram) increased for the AA line but not for the ANA line. These effects were a function of no change in responding by the AA rats as concentration was increased and a decrease in responding by the ANA rats at the higher concentrations (20% and 30%). Taken together, data indicate that ethanol can function as a positive reinforcer for the behavior of AA and ANA rats. Even though 10% ethanol functioned as a reinforcer similarly for the two lines, ethanol intake in the AA line was significantly greater at the higher concentrations of ethanol, suggesting that ethanol functioned as a qualitatively different reinforcer for the AA rats, compared with the ANA rats.

Exposure to various stressors alters preferences for natural odors in rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus) were given choice tests (Test 1) in a maze with the odors of clean bedding, citronella, an alpha colony (ACO), shocked conspecifies (SCO), or a predator cat (PCO). In Experiments 1-3, groups were exposed to no stress, defeat by a conspecific, or shocks. During subsequent tests (Test 2), nonstressed rats showed no change in odor preferences; defeated rats showed a nonsignificant reduction in preference for ACO; and shocked rats showed significant preference reductions for SCO and PCO and a significant increase in preference for ACO. In Experiment 4, odors of isolated, nonstressed conspecifics (CO) were preferred more than ACO, for rats given shock before Test 2. In Experiment 5, rats significantly preferred CO over ACO when exposed to a caged cat during Test 2. Because of exposure to stress, rats later avoided certain fear odors and showed strong preferences for the odors of nonstressed conspecifics.

Effects of thyroxine, growth hormone and cortisol on salinity preference of juvenile coho salmon(Oncorhynchus kisutch)

Freshwater yearling smolts of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) weighing 25–70 g showed no preference for 33 ppt seawater from March to July; instead, seawater aversion was detected in June and July after the migratory period. In April during the migratory period, the fish showed restless behavior (swimming actively between compartments), which resulted in a high standard error of the mean. Effects of hormone administration on preference for 14 ppt seawater were examined using underyearling coho weighing 0.8–8.8 g. Fish treated with thyroxine (T4) or with ovine growth hormone (oGH) showed a significantly greater preference for 14 ppt salinity than the controls. The combination of T4 + oGH further increased this preference. Cortisol administration resulted in a less but still significant increase in preference. The finding that thyroid hormone, growth hormone and Cortisol all stimulate salinity preference of young coho, suggests the importance of these hormones in preparing smolts for downstream migration...

Eating as the "Means" Activity in a Contingency: Effects on Young Children's Food Preference

BIRCH, LEANN LIPPS; MARLIN, DIANE WOLFE; and ROTTER, JULIE. Eating as the Means Activity in a Contingency: Effects on Young Children's Food Preference. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1984, 55, 431-439. Parents frequently employ contingencies in attempts to regulate children's food intake. To investigate the effects of instrumental eating on food preferences, each of 45 preschool children was assigned to either an instrumental eating or a control condition. In the instrumental conditions (N = 31), children consumed an initially novel beverage to obtain a reward. To test predictions regarding the contributions of (1) an extension of the response deprivation theory of instrumental performance, and (2) extrinsic motivation theory in accounting for negative shifts in preference noted in a previous experiment, 4 instrumental eating conditions were generated by crossing 2 levels of relative amount consumed (baseline, baseline plus) with 2 levels of type of reward (tangible, verbal praise). To control for the effects of exposure on preference, 2 groups of children (N = 7 per group) received the same number of snack sessions, but with no contingency in effect. Preference data obtained before and after the series of snack sessions demonstrated a significant negative shift in preference for the 4 instrumental groups, while the control groups showed a slight but not significant increase in preference. The implications of the data for child feeding practices are discussed.