title: Possum Food Preferences under Progressive-Ratio and Concurrent-Schedules of Reinforcement

authors: Cronin, Ian Raymond

subjects: Preference

abstract: Three experiments compared various ways of examining food preferences in the common brushtail possum (Trischosurus vulpecula). The first experiment compared the preferences obtained between four foods using paired-stimulus (PS) and multiple-stimulus without-replacement (MSWO) assessments. The ranked orders identified by the two methods produced similar orders in individual possums, but were idiosyncratic across possums. Following this, Experiment 2 involved a progressive-ratio (PR) reinforcer assessment with all four foods used in the preference assessments of Experiment 1. For each possum, each of the four foods functioned as reinforcers when presented in a single-schedule arrangement, including those foods identified as less preferred. Experiment 3 used concurrent-schedules, with a PR schedule on one alternative and fixed-ratio (FR) on the other. It was found that higher break points and response rates, as well as flatter demand functions were found for the same food in both Experiment 2 and 3. It was also found that when the concurrent alternative was on an FR 50 schedule, the response rates, break points and Pmax values of the food on the PR schedule tended to be higher than when the concurrent alternative was on an FR 20 schedule. Overall, the PS and MSWO assessments were equally effective at identifying which foods would function as reinforcers during Experiment 2 and 3.

text: Possum Food Preferences under Progressive-Ratio and Concurrent-Schedules of Reinforcement Three experiments compared various ways of examining food preferences in the common brushtail possum (Trischosurus vulpecula). The first experiment compared the preferences obtained between four foods using paired-stimulus (PS) and multiple-stimulus without-replacement (MSWO) assessments. The ranked orders identified by the two methods produced similar orders in individual possums, but were idiosyncratic across possums. Following this, Experiment 2 involved a progressive-ratio (PR) reinforcer assessment with all four foods used in the preference assessments of Experiment 1. For each possum, each of the four foods functioned as reinforcers when presented in a single-schedule arrangement, including those foods identified as less preferred. Experiment 3 used concurrent-schedules, with a PR schedule on one alternative and fixed-ratio (FR) on the other. It was found that higher break points and response rates, as well as flatter demand functions were found for the same food in both Experiment 2 and 3. It was also found that when the concurrent alternative was on an FR 50 schedule, the response rates, break points and Pmax values of the food on the PR schedule tended to be higher than when the concurrent alternative was on an FR 20 schedule. Overall, the PS and MSWO assessments were equally effective at identifying which foods would function as reinforcers during Experiment 2 and 3.

year: 2012

title: New Zealand breakfast cereals: are there sufficient low-sugar, low-sodium options?

authors: Chepulis, Lynne Merran

abstract: We wish to respond to a letter by Gina Levy of Kellogg (Australia) Pty Ltd – Research and Technology, Australia entitled ‘The New Zealand breakfast cereal category is dynamic and responsive to consumer preferences’, published in Public Health Nutrition⁽¹⁾ in response to our published article ‘The nutritional quality of New Zealand breakfast cereals: an update’⁽²⁾. We thank the author for her interest in our publication and will respond to several of her comments

text: New Zealand breakfast cereals: are there sufficient low-sugar, low-sodium options? We wish to respond to a letter by Gina Levy of Kellogg (Australia) Pty Ltd – Research and Technology, Australia entitled ‘The New Zealand breakfast cereal category is dynamic and responsive to consumer preferences’, published in Public Health Nutrition⁽¹⁾ in response to our published article ‘The nutritional quality of New Zealand breakfast cereals: an update’⁽²⁾. We thank the author for her interest in our publication and will respond to several of her comments

year: 2018

title: Is there evidence that traditional mōteatea (Māori laments) were composed from a common stock of oral formulae?

authors: Roa, Raukura

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: Oral formulaic composition, which involves the use of communally owned formulae of various kinds, is a common feature of verbal arts produced in many different languages. It is particularly associated with pre-literate cultures and tends to be gradually replaced by more individualistic verbal art forms when societies become literate. There are very few publications in which the analysis of mōteatea (Māori laments) is linked explicitly to oral formulaic theory. Nevertheless, there is sufficient evidence in published sources to indicate that traditional mōteatea (defined here as mōteatea that are not fundamentally influenced by European cultural beliefs and practices) exhibit evidence of regularly recurring, conventional themes (such as death, separation, loss and travel) and motifs (such as the setting sun, the presence of rain or mist and sleeplessness). The research reported here set out to test the hypothesis that traditional mōteatea were made up of verbal formulae, that is, of the same or very similar groups of words derived from a common store of poetic resources. Based on the analysis of the mōteatea included in Ngā mōteatea, a collection initially established by Sir Apirana Ngata, I conclude that this hypothesis must be rejected.

text: Is there evidence that traditional mōteatea (Māori laments) were composed from a common stock of oral formulae? Oral formulaic composition, which involves the use of communally owned formulae of various kinds, is a common feature of verbal arts produced in many different languages. It is particularly associated with pre-literate cultures and tends to be gradually replaced by more individualistic verbal art forms when societies become literate. There are very few publications in which the analysis of mōteatea (Māori laments) is linked explicitly to oral formulaic theory. Nevertheless, there is sufficient evidence in published sources to indicate that traditional mōteatea (defined here as mōteatea that are not fundamentally influenced by European cultural beliefs and practices) exhibit evidence of regularly recurring, conventional themes (such as death, separation, loss and travel) and motifs (such as the setting sun, the presence of rain or mist and sleeplessness). The research reported here set out to test the hypothesis that traditional mōteatea were made up of verbal formulae, that is, of the same or very similar groups of words derived from a common store of poetic resources. Based on the analysis of the mōteatea included in Ngā mōteatea, a collection initially established by Sir Apirana Ngata, I conclude that this hypothesis must be rejected.

year: 2007