| Abstract: | In a laboratory setting, a medium of exchange procedure was used to study factors relevant to drug taking. Participants could earn an income, respond to obtain cigarette puffs, and purchase puffs. Across sessions, either the work required for money increased while the work required for puffs remained constant, or vice versa (puffs always cost $0.25 each). Each manipulation was conducted twice, once when they could keep income not spent on puffs, and once when they could not. The two manipulations had equivalent effects on drug taking when income could be spent only on puffs; both manipulations decreased drug taking in equal magnitudes. When participants could keep income not spent on puffs, however, the two manipulations had different effects. Participants spent less on puffs and consumed less when it was the work required for puffs that increased. These and other results show the utility of the medium-of-exchange procedure and the unit-price metric for evaluating basic features of the drug-taking environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
