The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
This term refers to a clinical condition in which a human oran experimental animal cannot experience positive emotional states derived from obtaining a desired or biologically significant stimulus. Generally, certain stimuli serve as positive reinforcers in normal individuals (e.g., food, water, the company of friends). "Positive reinforcement" is a descriptive term used by behavioral scientists to denote an increase in the probability of a behavior that is contingent on the presentation of biologically significant stimuli, such as food orwater.
Anhedonia may be idiopathic (of unknown cause), may occur as a side effect of certain drugs (forexample, the NEUROLEPTICS), which act as dopamine-receptor antagonists, or may be an aspect of certain psychiatric disorders, such as depression. It is conjectured that a state of anhedonia may occur during the "crash" that follows a prolonged bout of drug self-administration, particularly COCAINE oramphetamine-like stimulants.
DACKIS, C. A., and GOLD, M. S. (1985). New concepts in cocaine addiction: The dopamine depletion hypothesis. Neuroscience Biobehavioral Review, 9, 469-477.
WISE, R. A. (1985). The anhedonia hypothesis: Mark III. Behavior and Brain Science, 8, 178-186.
WISE, R. A. (1982). Neuroleptics and operant behavior: The anhedonia hypothesis. Behavior and Brain Science, 5, 39-87.