4105 - Jitter Bugs
Emily Bryans - Holy Cross


Abstract

Introduction
Caffeine is one of the most commonly used drugs on earth and can be found in over sixty plants. Most of the caffeine consumed comes from dietary sources such as coffee, tea, cola drinks and chocolate. It was chosen to be the subject of this experiment because it is a drug and is the most commonly consumes psychoactive substance in the world with consumption increasing (Nehlig & Boyet, 1999; Nehlig 1999). Caffeine acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system causing increased heart rate, blood pressure, alertness, energy and ability to concentrate (Nehlig 1999). At higher doses it causes anxiety, restlessness, insomnia and increased heart rate (Nehlig 1999).
However, some question the side effects of caffeine and whether or not it is harmful if ingested on a regular basis.
The main purpose of this experiment is to compare the behavior of crickets that have consumed caffeine to crickets that have not consumed caffeine. This experiment investigates the side effects caused by caffeine, specifically the growth, activity level and the development of caffeine dependence or addiction in crickets is observed.
The topic of caffeine was chosen because it is probably mankind’s most popular drug. However, the question of whether caffeine is addictive has been debated for over a decade but there is much information stating that it is harmful to your health. Some people may be unaware of the negative side effects of caffeine while others may not know the beneficial properties of caffeine.
The results of this experiment would be beneficial to anyone who consumes coffee on a regular basis.
Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effects of caffeine on the behavior of crickets.
Hypothesis
It is expected that the crickets who are subjected to caffeine will develop an addiction over the period of time that they are being tested. It is also predicted that these crickets will experience increased levels of growth and activity during their exposure. When given a choice of caffeine solution over water, significantly more crickets will choose caffeine over water because of their addiction.
Method
Crickets were separated into test and control groups and housed in industrial glass terrariums, under the same environmental conditions. Test crickets were exposed to a caffeine solution for fourteen days while control crickets were fed distilled water. A diet of lettuce, potato and carrot was also provided. After fourteen days, crickets were given a choice of water or caffeine solutions. Chi square analysis was performed to determine if there was a significant difference in the choices of the two groups of crickets; between caffeine and water.
Results
1. Caffeine-fed crickets showed a significant increase in activity level compared to water-fed crickets.
2. Caffeine-fed crickets grew larger than the water-fed crickets.
3. Sixty-five percent of the caffeine-fed crickets chose a caffeine solution over water when presented with a choice. (35 percent chose water)
4. Fifty-three percent of the water-fed crickets chose caffeine solution over water when presented with a choice. (47 percent chose water)