Abstract
Muricide, handling characteristics, and open-field activity were tested in either the light portion of a light-dark cycle or the dark portion of a reversed light-dark cycle in male Long-Evans hooded rats. Neither mouse killing nor irritability to handling were found to be related to time of test. There was slightly greater horizontal activity in dark-tested rats, who showed little evidence for habituation of exploratory behavior. Light-tested rats showed evidence for habituation of horizontal activity in the open field, along with enhanced rearing in the apparatus.
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This research was partially supported by an institutional grant from NSF to Mississippi State University.
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Thorne, B.M., Buteau, A.P. The effect of time of test on muricide, irritability, and open-field activity in the rat. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 17, 48–50 (1981). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333663
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333663