Some Effects of “Free” and “Restricted” Environmental Rearing Conditions upon Adult Behavior in the Rat

Puberal status and sex differences: Activity and maze behavior in rats

“…Dawson et al also confirmed the finding, reported for the vast majority of species studied, of fewer maze errors in normal mature male rats than in females on Hebb-Williams type mazes (e.g., Davenport, Hagquist, & Rankin, 1970; Harrington, 1368;Woods, Ruckelshaus, & Bowling, 1960). Additionally, neonatally castrated and estrogenized males did not differ from gonadectomized and androgenized females in adult maze performance.…”

“…Although mature f'emales made more errors than prepuberal females, no differences were found bctwcen independent groups of pre-and postpuberal males.Recent research of Dawson, Cheung, and Lau (1973) confirmed the well established finding of greater spontaneous wheel running activity in normal mature female rats than in males (e.g., Hitchcock, 1925) and also demonstrated a reversal of this effect when neonates were gonadectomized and received opposite sex hormones. Dawson et al also confirmed the finding, reported for the vast majority of species studied, of fewer maze errors in normal mature male rats than in females on Hebb-Williams type mazes (e.g., Davenport, Hagquist, & Rankin, 1970; Harrington, 1368;Woods, Ruckelshaus, & Bowling, 1960). Additionally, neonatally castrated and estrogenized males did not differ from gonadectomized and androgenized females in adult maze performance.We have found no studies in the literature which evaluate sex differences in spontaneous wheel running and maze performance both pre-and postpuberally.…”

Effects of Three Months of Total Social Deprivation on Social Adjustment and Learning in the Rhesus Monkey

“…Performance decrements of socially isolated animals on learning tasks have been reported for rats (Woods, Ruckelshaus, & Bowling, 1960) and dogs (Melzack & Scott, 1957; Thompson & Heron, 1954). However, Rowland (1964) and Mason & Fitz-Gerald (1962) found no significant learning decrements in any of the groups of isolated rhesus monkeys when compared to controls.…”

“…However, Rowland (1964) and Mason & Fitz-Gerald (1962) found no significant learning decrements in any of the groups of isolated rhesus monkeys when compared to controls. There is also a question concerning the nature of the decrements reported in Woods et al (1960) and in Thompson and Heron (1954), that is, were they a function of a decreased learning capacity or merely decreased performance? Rowland and Mason and Fitz-Gerald started learning testing while the Ss were still in isolation; in the nonprimate studies the Ss were not given learning tasks while isolated.…”

Reference Index

“…(1, 153;1, 173;1, 265;2, 219;2, 357;3, 35;3, 235;3, 255;4, 57;4, 371;5, 191;5, 353;6, 29;6, 507;6, 575;7, 247;7, 345;7, 381;7, 405;8, 47;8, 181;8, 279;9, 29;9, 143;9, 177;9, 205;9, 245;9, 487;9, 501;9, 663;10, 291;10, 387;10, 439;10, Science, 1957, 126, 509. (1, 173: 5, 391;6, 1;6, 223;6, 423) Ferster, C. B. The control of behavior in chimpanzees and pigeons by time-out from positive reinforcement.…”