The Effectiveness of Lithium Chloride in Eliciting a Taste Aversion Response in Blaptica dubia
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Zoology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Despite taste-aversion being a well-established concept in the field of psychology, little is known about the prevalence of the quality in invertebrates. Taste-aversions protect organisms from toxins through associations between tastes and sickening agents. The purpose of this study was to determine whether LiCl evokes a food aversion in Blaptica dubia, a species of cockroach, and to establish whether or not the invertebrates possess the capacity to demonstrate taste aversion. It was hypothesized that if the roaches were injected with a LiCl solution following exposure to a novel food, then the amount of food consumed upon the second exposure would decrease due to an association between adverse symptoms of LiCl and the novel food. The insects were exposed to novel food, and the amount consumed was recorded. After the remaining food was collected, the insects in the experimental group were injected with a LiCl solution. 24 hours later, the Blaptica dubia were again exposed to the food, and the mass was recorded. The results of a paired t-test, with an alpha value of 0.05, suggest that there were no significant differences between the mass of food eaten by the test group, t(4)=0.078, p=0.942, and control group, t(4)=-0.318, p=0.771. Thus, it was concluded that there is not sufficient evidence to suggest that there is a difference between the mass of the food consumed by the Blaptica dubia exposed to the LiCl and those not exposed to the LiCl.
Recommended Citation
Phelps, Ava, "The Effectiveness of Lithium Chloride in Eliciting a Taste Aversion Response in Blaptica dubia" (2022). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 10.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2022/all/10
Location
HSS 107
Start Date
4-2-2022 11:00 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
The Effectiveness of Lithium Chloride in Eliciting a Taste Aversion Response in Blaptica dubia
HSS 107
Despite taste-aversion being a well-established concept in the field of psychology, little is known about the prevalence of the quality in invertebrates. Taste-aversions protect organisms from toxins through associations between tastes and sickening agents. The purpose of this study was to determine whether LiCl evokes a food aversion in Blaptica dubia, a species of cockroach, and to establish whether or not the invertebrates possess the capacity to demonstrate taste aversion. It was hypothesized that if the roaches were injected with a LiCl solution following exposure to a novel food, then the amount of food consumed upon the second exposure would decrease due to an association between adverse symptoms of LiCl and the novel food. The insects were exposed to novel food, and the amount consumed was recorded. After the remaining food was collected, the insects in the experimental group were injected with a LiCl solution. 24 hours later, the Blaptica dubia were again exposed to the food, and the mass was recorded. The results of a paired t-test, with an alpha value of 0.05, suggest that there were no significant differences between the mass of food eaten by the test group, t(4)=0.078, p=0.942, and control group, t(4)=-0.318, p=0.771. Thus, it was concluded that there is not sufficient evidence to suggest that there is a difference between the mass of the food consumed by the Blaptica dubia exposed to the LiCl and those not exposed to the LiCl.
