Abstract
In order to determine the age at which Swiss-Webster mice first became capable of learning and exhibiting 24-h retention of a directional, one-way active avoidance response, six separate groups of 20 mice received 25 active avoidance training trials at selected ages between 11 and 21 days of age. Equal numbers of yoked-shock control mice received identical amounts of shock and handling as their trained littermates on each trial. Following a 24-h retention interval, all groups received 25 active avoidance training trials. The acquisition results indicated that, while all age groups were capable of emitting some successful avoidances, within-session improvement was not apparent until 17 days of age. Comparisons of retest scores by trained mice with their formerly yoked-shocked littermates revealed that reliably more avoidances were made by mice with prior training beginning at 17 days of age. In general, the results suggest that the ability to acquire and remember for 24 h an active avoidance response emerges around 15-17 days of age for Swiss mice on this directional task.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Reference Note
Gittis, A. G. Development of avoidance responses in the neonatal rat. Paper presented at the meetings of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, 1978.
References
Bauer, R. H. Ontogeny of two-way avoidance in male and female rats. Developmental Psychobiology, 1978, 11, 103–116.
Bovet, D., Bovet-Nitti, F., & Oliverio, A. Genetic aspects of learning and memory in mice. Science, 1969, 163, 139–149.
Campbell, B. A., & Coulter, X. The ontogenesis of learning and memory. In M. R. Rosenzweig & E. L. Bennett (Eds.), Neural mechanisms of learning and memory. Cambridge, Mass: M.I.T. Press, 1976.
Campbell, B. A., Lytle, L. D., & Fibiger, H. C. Ontogeny of adrenergic arousal and cholinergic inhibitory mechanisms in the rat. Science, 1969, 166, 637–638.
Campbell, B. A., Misanin, J. R., White, B. C., & Lytle, L. D. Species differences in ontogeny of memory: Indirect support for neural maturation as a determinant of forgetting.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1974, 87, 193–202.
Campbell, B. A., & Raskin, L. A. Ontogeny of behavioral arousal: The role of environmental stimuli. Journal of Com parative and Physiological Psychology, 1978, 92, 176–184.
Collier, A. C., & Mast, J. Alleviation of avoidance deficits by approach alternatives in 10-day old rats. Physiology & Behavior, 1979, 23, 615–618.
Crockett, W. H., & Nobel, M. E. Age of learning, severity of negative reinforcement, and retention of learned responses. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 1963, 103, 105–112.
Feigley, D. A., & Spear, N. E. Effect of age and punishment condition on long-term retention by the rat of active- and passive-avoidance learning. Journal of Comparative and Physio logical Psychology, 1970, 73, 515–526.
Goldman, P. S., & Tobach, E. Behaviour modification in infant rats. Animal Behaviour, 1967, 15, 559–562.
Johanson, I. B., & Hall, W. G. Appetitive learning in 1-day-old rat pups. Science, 1979, 205, 419–421.
Kenny, J. T., & Blass, E. M. Suckling as incentive to instrumental learning in preweanling rats. Science, 1977, 196, 898–899.
Kirby, R. H. Acquisition, extinction, and retention of an avoid ance response in rats as a function of age. Journal of Compara tive and Physiological Psychology, 1963, 56, 158–162.
Klein, S. B., & Spear, N. E. Influence of age on short-term retention of active-avoidance learning in rats. Journal of Com parative and Physiological Psychology, 1969, 69, 583–589.
McLaughlin, L. J., Eller, H. D., & Korol, B. Acquisition and retention of an avoidance response by rats of different ages. Developmental Psychobiology, 1975, 8, 233–239.
Misanin, J. R., Chubb, L. D., Quinn, S. A., & Schweikert, G. E. An apparatus and procedure for effective instrumental training of neonatal and infant rats. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1974, 4, 171–173.
Nagy, Z. M. Development of learning and memory processes in infant mice. In N. E. Spear & B. A. Campbell (Eds.), Ontogeny of learning and memory. Hillsdale, N.J: Erlbaum, 1979.
Nagy, Z. M., Misanin, J. R., Newman, J. A., Olsen, P. L., & Hinderliter, C. F. Ontogeny of memory in the neonatal mouse. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1972, 81, 380–393.
Nagy, Z. M., & Murphy, J. M. Learning and retention of a discriminated escape response in infant mice. Developmental Psychobiology, 1974, 7, 185–192.
Nagy, Z. M., Murphy, J. M., & Ray, D. Development of behavioral arousal and inhibition in the Swiss-Webster mouse. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1975, 6, 146–148.
Nagy, Z. M., & Sandmann, M. Development of learning and memory of T-maze training in neonatal mice. Journal of Com parative and Physiological Psychology, 1973, 83, 19–26.
Potash, M., & Ferguson, H. B. The effect of criterion level on the acquisition and retention of a 1-way avoidance response in young and old rats. Developmental Psychobiology, 1977, 10, 347–354.
Randall, P. K., & Campbell, B. A. Ontogeny of behavioral arousal in rats: Effect of maternal and sibling presence. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1976, 90, 453–459.
Riccio, D. C., Rohrbaugh, M., & Hodges, L. A. Developmental aspects of passive and active avoidance learning in rats. Developmental Psychobiology, 1968, 1, 108–111.
Riccio, D. C., & Schulenburg, C. J. Age related deficits in acquisition of a passive avoidance response. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 1969, 23, 429–437.
Smith, N. Effects of interpolated learning on the retention of an escape response in rats as a function of age. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1968, 65, 422–426.
Smith, G. J., & Spear, N. E. Effects of the home environment on withholding behaviors and conditioning in infant and neo natal rats. Science, 1978, 202, 327–329.
Spear, N. E., & Smith, G. J. Alleviation of forgetting in pre weanling rats. Developmental Psychobiology, 1978, 11, 513–529.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by Grant HD-09145 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to the first author.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nagy, Z.M., Ku, J.CS. & Porada, K.J. Development of acquisition and 24-h retention of a directional one-way active avoidance response in infant Swiss mice. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 15, 5–8 (1980). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329745
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329745