Why do we like drinks that contain caffeine

Abstract Caffeine has a variety of ‘psychoactive’ effects, which are assumed to play an important role in influencing the consumption of caffeine-containing beverages. Indeed, it is possible that liking for the sensory qualities of, for instance, coffee and tea is acquired as a result of the association of these sensory qualities with the mood changes that follow the ingestion of caffeine. Although this would appear to be contradicted by a failure to find strong reinforcing effects of caffeine, recent studies indicate that caffeine consumption may, at least in part, be motivated and reinforced by the resultant removal of the negative consequences of caffeine withdrawal.