This paper describes the rheological properties of a number of aqueous solutions of a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a function of the degree of polymer hydrolysis, ambient temperature, pressure and variations induced upon the addition of electrolytes to these solutions. Experimental results reported show that the rheological behaviour of these aqueous PVA solutions mainly depends upon the relative strength of the hydrogen bonding existing between the polymer chains and water molecules, compared with that of the inter and intra chain hydrogen bonding. Changes in temperature, pressure, degree of hydrolysis of the PVA, and the addition of electrolytes produce a corresponding effect in varying these two types of hydrogen bonding and thus the resulting rheological properties of the PVA solutions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.