Response to stimulus novelty and complexity as a function of rats' early rearing experiences.

1 January 1967

journal article
Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

Vol. 63 (3) , 369-375
https://doi.org/10.1037/h0024618

Abstract

EXPLORATION OF BLACK, WHITE, AND CHECKED STIMULI WAS STUDIED IN RATS REARED ON DAYS 15-60 IN DARKNESS, ALTERNATING DARK-LIGHT, OR LIGHT IN BLACK, WHITE, OR PATTERNED CAGES IMMEDIATELY AND 1 MO. AFTER LEAVING REARING CAGES. MOTOR ACTIVITY WAS STUDIED AT 110 DAYS. MOTOR ACTIVITY WAS HIGHER AT ALL TEST AGES WITH GREATER DEGREES OF REARING DEPRIVATION. MODERATE DEPRIVATION PRODUCED HIGHEST INITIAL PREFERENCE FOR VISUAL COMPLEXITY, BUT ALL GROUPS PREFERRED COMPLEX OVER SIMPLE INPUT ON TRIAL 2. BY TRIAL 2 NOVEL CHANGES IN STIMULUS BRIGHTNESS WERE PREFERRED BY DARK-LIGHT AND LIGHT, BUT NOT BY DARK, REARED SS. EFFECTS OF REARING CONDITIONS ON MOTOR ACTIVITY WERE PERSISTENT, BUT EFFECTS ON MORE COMPLEX EXPLORATORY BEHAVIORS WERE REVERSIBLE. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

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