Nonhuman primates will not respond to turn off strong 60 Hz electric fields
- Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (United States). Dept. of Biosciences and Bioengineering
Using a set of six baboons (Papio cynocephalus), the authors conducted a series of seven experiments designed to evaluate the potentially aversive character of a 60 Hz electric field (EF). Initially, the subjects were trained, using food rewards as the reinforcer, to respond only when a cue light was illuminated. Next, an EF was presented along with the cue light; responses produced delivery of a food pellet and turned off both the cue light and the EF. Then, stimulus and reward conditions were varied. The authors determined that (1) presence of a strong EF does not affect operant responding for food rewards, (2) subjects will not respond at normal rates when the only reinforcer is termination of a strong EF, (3) presence of a strong EF can serve as a discriminative stimulus, (4) presence of a strong EF does not affect extinction of an appetite-motivated task, and (5) presentation of an EF can become a secondary reinforcer. The pattern of results was consistent across all experiments, suggesting that an EF of as much as 65 kV/m is not aversive to nonhuman primates. Separately, the authors demonstrated that the average EF detection threshold for baboons is 12 kV/m. Thus, EF exposure at intensities well above the detection threshold and at species-scaled EF strengths greater than those found environmentally does not appear to be aversive.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-80RA50219
- OSTI ID:
- 220636
- Journal Information:
- Bioelectromagnetics, Journal Issue: Suppl 3; Other Information: PBD: 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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