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Cited by 589Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesRegulation of Appetite and Obesity

Pleasure: the common currency.

Cabanac, Michel·1992·Journal of Theoretical Biology
DOI 10.1016/s0022-5193(05)80594-6
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Abstract

At present as physiologists studying various homeostatic behaviors, such as thermoregulatory behavior and food and fluid intake, we have no common currency that allows us to equate the strength of the motivational drive that accompanies each regulatory need, in terms of how an animal or a person will choose to satisfy his needs when there is a conflict between two or more of them. Yet the behaving organism must rank his priorities and needs a common currency to achieve the ranking (McFarland & Sibly, 1975, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 270 Biol 265-293). A theory is proposed here according to which pleasure is this common currency. The perception of pleasure, as measured operationally and quantitatively by choice behavior (in the case of animals), or by the rating of the intensity of pleasure or displeasure (in the case of humans) can serve as such a common currency. The tradeoffs between various motivations would thus be accomplished by simple maximization of pleasure. In what follows, the scientific work arising recently on this subject, with be reviewed briefly and our recent experimental findings will be presented. This will serve as the support for the theoretical position formulated in this essay.

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  • Affective consciousness plays a role in learning and motivation, in categorising stimuli and motivating action.

    “One functional account of affective consciousness postulates that it plays a role in learning and motivation - in categorising stimuli and motivating action to attain or avoid these”

    From The Measurement Problem of Consciousness (2020) · cites this paper as Cabanac 1992

  • Since position-dependent and evaluative contents operate synergistically in our own consciousness, an emergent consciousness would be expected to contain both, which accords with the argument that affect should lie at the core of an evolved consciousness.

    “Since these operate in a synergistic way in our own consciousness, the expectation is that an emergent consciousness would contain both, which accords with the argument that affect should lie at the core of an evolved consciousness (e.g., see Cabanac, 1992; Dickinson and Balleine, 2010; Butlin, 2020; Cleeremans and Tallon-Baudry, 2022).”

    From The function(s) of consciousness revisited: insights from a modular/constitutive model using vision as a test case (2026) · cites this paper as Cabanac, 1992

  • Hunger, thirst, and other motivation states primarily act to enhance the incentive value of their particular reward, increasing 'wanting' and 'liking' for foods, or for water, and so on, rather than acting primarily as aversive goads.

    “Hunger, thirst, and other motivation states primarily act to enhance the incentive value of their particular reward, increasing ‘wanting’ and ‘liking’ for foods, or for water, and so on, rather than acting primarily as aversive goads (Toates, 1986; Cabanac, 1992; Dickinson and Balleine, 2002).”

    From Evolving Concepts of Emotion and Motivation (2018) · cites this paper as Cabanac, 1992

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Authors
Cabanac, M.
Affiliations
Université Laval (CA)
Corresponding author
Cabanac, Michel
Venue
Journal of Theoretical Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1992-03
Volume
155
Issue
2
Pages
173-200
ISSN
0022-5193 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0022-5193(05)80594-6
OpenAlex
W1998874651
Cited by
589
References
81
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 78 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 18
FWCI
0.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Theoretical Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
Keywords
pleasure, single currency, motivation, thermoregulation, dietary intake, fluid intake, needs prioritization, choice behavior, motivational conflict
MeSH terms
Animals, Choice Behavior, Conflict, Psychological, Ethology, Happiness, Humans, Models, Biological, Models, Psychological, Motivation, Personal Satisfaction, Psychophysiology, Research Design, Reward

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