Abstract
Previous comparisons of the activity differences of individually and group-housed rats have produced inconsistent findings; therefore, we examined activity using three measures: open-field ambulation, nonspecific circadian activity, and rearing behavior. Open-field ambulation in two 5-day tests confirmed our prediction that isolates would be initially less active but later more active than group-housed rats. Isolates habituated more slowly to the activity monitor and tended to be more active during the light half of the 24-h cycle. In the rearing test, isolates showed elevated and more persistent activity than group-housed rats. All these activity differences were prevalent in both male and female rats. The results are interpreted in terms of the influence of differential housing on “fear responses,” exploration of a novel environment, and differences in habituation/adaptation processes.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Ader, R. Effects of early experience and differential housing on behavior and susceptibility to gastric erosions in the rat.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1965,60, 233–238.
Ader, R., &Friedman, S. B. Social factors affecting emotionality and resistance to disease in animals: IV. Differential housing, emotionality, and Walker 256 carcinosarcoma in the rat.Psychological Reports, 1964,15, 535–541.
Archer, J. Contrasting effects of group housing and isolation on subsequent open field exploration in laboratory rats.Psychonomic Science, 1969,14, 234–235.
Archer, J. Effects of population density on behaviour in rodents. In J. H. Crook (Ed.),Social behaviour in birds and mammals: Essays on the social ethology of animals and man. London: Academic Press, 1970.
Berlyne, D. E. Conflict, arousal and curiosity. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1960.
Brain, P., &Benton, D. The interpretation of physiological correlates of differential housing in laboratory rats.Life Sciences, 1979,24, 99–116.
Domjan, M., Schorr, R., &Best, M. Early environmental influences on conditioned and unconditioned ingestinal and locomotor behaviors.Developmental Psychobiology, 1977,10, 499–506.
Einon, D. F., &Morgan, M. J. Habituation of object contact in socially-reared and isolated rats (Rattus norvegicus).Animal Behaviour, 1976,24, 415–420.
Einon, D. F., &Morgan, M. J. A critical period for social isolation in the rat.Developmental Psychobiology, 1977,10, 123–132.
Einon, D. F., Morgan, M. J., &Sahakian, B. J. The development of intersession habituation and emergence in socially-reared and isolated rats.Developmental Psychobiology, 1975,8, 553–560.
File, S. E. Exploration, distraction, and habituation in rats reared in isolation.Developmental Psychobiology, 1978,11, 73–81.
Kirk, R. E. Experimental design: Procedures for the behavioral sciences. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth, 1968.
Korn, H. J., &Moyer, K. E. Behavioral effects of isolation in the rat: The role of sex and time of isolation.Journal of Genetic Psychology, 1968,113, 263–273.
Lat, J. The spontaneous exploratory reactions as a tool for psychopharmacological studies. A contribution towards a theory of contradictory results in psychopharmacology. In M. Y. Mikhelison & V. G. Longe (Eds.),Pharmacology of conditioning, learning and retentions. New York: Pergamon Press, 1965.
Morgan, M. J. Effects of post-weaning environment on learning in the rat.Animal Behaviour, 1973,21, 429–442.
Morgan, M. J., &Einon, D. F. Incentive motivation and behavioral inhibition in socially-isolated rats.Physiology & Behavior, 1975,15, 405–409.
Morgan, M. J., Einon, D. F., &Nicholas, D. The effects of isolation rearing on behavioral inhibition in the rat.Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1975,27, 615–634.
Morley, B. J., &Worsham, E. The effects of prolonged handling, scopolamine, and physostigmine on the activity of isolated and socially reared rats.Physiological Psychology, 1978,6, 83–88.
Moyer, K. E., &Korn, J. H. Behavioral effects of isolation in the rat.Psychonomic Science, 1965,3, 503–504.
Nishikawa, T., &Tanaka, M. Altered behavioral responses to intense footshock in socially isolated rats.Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 1978,8, 61–67.
Sahakian, B. J., Robbins, T. W., &Iversen, S. D. The effects of isolation rearing on exploration in the rat.Animal Learning & Behavior, 1977,5, 193–198.
Speiser, Z., &Weinstock, M. The influence of propanol on abnormal behaviour induced in rats by prolonged isolation: An animal model for mania?British Journal of Pharmacology, 1973,48, 348–349.
Still, A. W. Use of orthogonal polynomials with nonparametric tests.Psychological Bulletin, 1967,68, 327–329.
Stern, J. A., Winokur, G., Eisenstein, A., Taylor, R., &Sly, M. The effect of group vs individual housing on behaviour and physiological responses to stress in the albino rat.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1960,4, 185–190.
Syme, L. A. Social isolation at weaning: Some effects on two measures of activity.Animal Learning & Behavior, 1973,1, 161–163.
Tagney, J. Sleep patterns related to rearing rats in enriched and impoverished environments.Brain Research, 1973,53, 353–361.
Taylor, J. The effects of population density upon correlates of emotionality and learning efficiency.Journal of General Psychology, 1969,80, 205–218.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
J.C. Dalrymple-Alford was supported by a S.R.C. studentship, Grant 78800404.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dalrymple-Alford, J.C., Benton, D. Activity differences of individually and group-housed male and female rats. Animal Learning & Behavior 9, 50–55 (1981). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03212025
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03212025