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Assessing Drug Reinforcement

Psychology 440 (Seminar)

Michael A. Bozarth, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
University at Buffalo

Seminar Description

Considerable research during the past two decades has focused on studying the reinforcing properties of abused drugs, and a wide variety of techniques have been developed for assessing drug reward. This seminar reviews the primary methods used in this diverse field and examines the advantages and limitations of each technique. The central topics are: drug self-administration procedures, conditioning methods of assessing drug reward, drug discrimination methodology, interactions of addictive drugs with brain stimulation reward, and assessment of drug reward in human subjects. The seminar is based on the book, Methods of Assessing the Reinforcing Properties of Abused Drugs (M. Bozarth, ed., New York: Springer-Verlag, 1987), which is the required text for the seminar.

Prerequisites

Introductory Psychology, Research Methods and Statistics or equivalent; or by permission of the instructor.

Format

This is an advanced undergraduate seminar, and the format is essentially the same as that used in graduate-level seminars. The primary emphasis is on student presentations and discussion, supplemented with lectures by the instructor. Laboratory demonstrations are also used to illustrate some of the experimental methods studied.

Seminar Grade

The seminar grade is determined by quality of the outlines [5% + 2 x 10% = 25%], the oral presentations [2 x 20% = 40%], the annotated bibliography (20%], and the critique of a published paper [15%]. Written critiques [pass/fail] are also required following each student presentation; failure to submit the written critiques at the end of the class period has severe grade penalties. Because this is a seminar, attendance is mandatory and participation in discussion can contribute significantly to the final grade.

The first outline is due during the third week of class. This outline is based on Chapter 14 and can be revised once prior to grading. Revisions are due one week after the initial outline has been returned to the student.

Presentation outlines are due one week prior to the presentation date. Revisions must be submitted the day of oral presentation. Annotated bibliographies are due two weeks before the end of the semester. Students wishing to exercise the option of revising their bibliographies should submit them no later than one week earlier. Critiques of student presentations are due at the end of each applicable class period. Although critiques are evaluated only as pass/fail, failure (i.e., unsatisfactory critique or class absence) on four or more critiques will result in severe seminar grade reduction (e.g., fourth failure lowers final seminar grade by one letter).

Seminar Schedule

Seminar Overview
SQ3R study method
Why study drug reinforcement?
[assignment: read parts of Chapter 30, pp. 635-648]

Methods Overview/outlining style
[assignment: read Chapter 14]

CPP chapter presentation
sample outline: Chapter 14 through first experiment
[due: chapter assignment requests from students]
[assignment: outline Chapter 14]

CPP chapter presentation, continued
discussion about CPP method
discuss chapter assignments

Lab tour: CPP
[due: Chapter 14 outline]
[assignment: read Chapters 13 & 15]

Analysis of method
Next experiment?
The Art of Publishing

Student presentations: van der Kooy
Phillips & Fibiger
[assignment: read Chapter 28]

Student presentation: White et al.
Overview & critique of method
[assignment: read Chapters 16 & 17]

Student presentations: Overton
Colpaert
[assignment: read Chapter 18]

Student presentation: Glennon & Young
Overview & critique of method
[assignment: read material on conditioning theory]

Primer on Operant Conditioning
[assignment: read Chapters 1 & 2]

Lab tour: IVSA

Student presentations: Yokel
Weeks & Collins
[assignment: read Chapters 3 & 10]

Student presentation: Brady et al.
Yanagita
[assignment: read Chapters 4, 5, 7, & 8]

Student presentations: Roberts & Zito
Katz & Goldberg
Meisch & Carroll
Amit et al.
[assignment: read Chapters 6 & 9]

Student presentations: Bozarth
Wise
[assignment: read Chapters 11 & 12]

Student presentations: Davis & Smith
Stewart & deWit
Overview and critique of methods

BSR Background
[assignment: read Chapters 19 & 20]

Lab tour: BSR

Student presentations: Reid
Esposito et al.
[assignment: read Chapters 21, 22, & 23]

Student presentations: Fouriezos & Nawiesniak
Lewis & Phelps
Broekkamp
Overview & critique of method

The Dissemination of Scientific Information
[assignment: read Chapters 24, 25, & 26]

Student presentations: Haertzen & Hickey
Mello & Mendelson
deWit & Johanson
[assignment: read Chapter 27]

Student presentation: Henningfield et al.
Overview & critique of method

Student presentations: research papers

Student presentations: research paper

Student presentations: research papers

Seminar Overview