Abstract
Activity and exploratory behavior in rats was examined on 2 consecutive days of testing at 35 and again at 90 days of age using Greek cross mazes, proportional in size to the subject, having black, white, striped, and checkered arms. Half of the young animals received handling habituation prior to testing and half of each of these groups were handled prior to testing in adulthood. Young rats were more active than adults and handling, either postweaning or in adulthood, increased activity and exploratory behavior. Results also indicated that early handling potentiates the effects of later handling.
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This research was supported by a grant from the Bureau for Faculty Research Western Washington State College. The authors wish to thank Steve Norsen, Deborah Wilson, and Larry Kronquist for their aid in data collection.
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Thompson, R.W., Lippman, L.G. The effect of age and postweaning and adult handling habituation on activity and exploration in the rat. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 5, 285–288 (1975). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333246
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333246