Letter to the EditorHow useful is the appetitive and consummatory distinction for our understanding of the neuroendocrine control of sexual behavior?
Section snippets
The origins of the appetitive/consummatory distinction
First and foremost it is important to recognize that the appetitive/consummatory distinction was not proposed to support a particular model or metaphor for the functioning of the nervous system. Rather these terms were proposed as a way to capture variation in species-typical behavior that puzzled many comparative psychologists and ethologists. As noted by Sachs (2007), the specific terms “appetitive” and “consummatory” were first coined by Craig (1917). However, we agree with Marler and
Relationship between the appetitive/consummatory distinction and energy models of motivation
The pioneers of modern ethology Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen both embraced the appetitive/consummatory distinction as a useful first step in behavioral description (Lorenz, 1950, Tinbergen, 1951). A careful reading of their early discussion of this concept reveals that they found it useful precisely because it provided a terminology to organize many behavioral phenomena for a causal analysis. However, both Lorenz and Tinbergen adopted models or metaphors of nervous system function that were
The current utility of the appetitive/consummatory distinction as a description of behavior related to an analysis of the mechanistic control of behavior
Modern training in neuroethology and behavioral neuroscience no longer devotes much attention to the models of drive proposed by Tinbergen and Lorenz. A survey of relevant textbooks in behavioral neuroscience and neuroethology reveals little consideration of such models outside of a historical context (e.g., Carew, 2000, Rosenzweig et al., 2004, Zupanc, 2004). We would argue that the linkage of the terms appetitive/consummatory with these now defunct motivational models is not an impediment to
Conclusion
Our recommendation is that the appetitive/consummatory distinction be maintained for studies of sexual behavior. We recognize the criticisms made by Sachs (2007) but do not think they are serious enough to warrant a complete ban on the use of these terms. Like many terms in the biological and behavioral sciences, the terms appetitive and consummatory should be used in a precise manner and with caution. Again a consideration of the fate of related terms whose usefulness has been criticized can
Acknowledgments
The preparation of this review and the experimental work described was supported by grants from the NIMH (Grant number RO1 MH50388) to GFB and from the Belgian Fonds de la Recherche Fondamentale Collective (Grant number 2.4562.05) to JB. We thank Peter Holland for discussions about the appetitive/consummatory distinction.
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