Abstract
Adult male South African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, were trained in an aquatic shuttlebox on one-way active avoidance of electric shock. Acquisition was observed within daily sessions (30 trials) and between days (4 days). Control groups indicated that learning, rather than pseudoconditioning or sensitization to the CS, was responsible for the observed change in behavior. A retraining measure yielded appreciable savings after a 28-day retention period. Some of the advantages of this species for behavioral research are discussed.
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Haubrich, R. Comparisons between aggressive behavior and learning rate in the South African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis Daudin. Journal of the Scientific Laboratories, Denison University, 1966, 47, 55–68.
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This study was supported in part by Grant MH 21976-01 from the National Institute of Mental Health. Thanks are due B. Malinowski for assistance in collecting part of the data.
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Millhr, R.R., Berk, A.M. & Springer, A.D. Acquisition and retention of active avoidance in Xenopus laevis . Bull. Psychon. Soc. 3, 139–141 (1974). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333423
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333423