Relative potency of foods and drinks as targets in aversion conditioning.

The potency of food stimuli as targets in aversion learning was examined using an interference paradigm. In the first study, foods interfered with liquid aversions but liquids did not interfere with food aversions. In the second study, food aversions were found to be resistant to interference by other foods. These findings suggest that foods are relatively potent targets in aversion conditioning in that they are resistant to interference by both foods and drinks. The final study examined the contribution of flavor intensity and nutrient density to the potency of aversion conditioning. The relative potency of foods over drinks may reflect differences in their intensity as well as their different roles in toxin avoidance and nutrient selection.