Abstract
Many rat studies of learned helplessness confound the stress of restraint with inescapable shock. In the present experiment, albino rats were held immobile for 0, 2, 8, 14, or 18 h. Behavioral deficits were observed in an open-field activity maze and in two-way shuttlebox avoidance acquisition. In the activity maze, a sex X restraint interaction was observed for latency to leave the center square, ambulation, and frequency of center square crossing. Males were slower to leave the center square, had fewer ambulations, and crossed the center square less frequently than females. These effects were potentiated by restraint. Males reared significantly less than females, and restrained animals reared significantly less than nonrestrained animals. Restraint also significantly increased the frequency of grooming. On the avoidance tasks, a significant restraint X trial block interaction indicated slower learning for restrained animals. The severity of the decrements increased with restraint duration. The presence of stomach lesions was positively correlated with stress duration and the severity of the behavioral decrement. The results indicate that restraint produces a variety of behavioral changes which may result in interpretive difficulties for helplessness studies that confound restraint and shock.
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The research reported in this paper was conducted by personnel of Systems Research Laboratories under Contract F33615-80-C-0603, Job Order 7757-05-43, with the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Aerospace Medical Division, AFSC, United States Air Force, Brooks AFB, Texas. The animals involved in this study were procured, maintained, and used in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act and the “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” prepared by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Research Council.
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Lanum, J., Campbell, M.E., Blick, D.W. et al. Effects of restraint on open-field activity, shock avoidance learning, and gastric lesions in the rat. Animal Learning & Behavior 12, 195–201 (1984). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03213142
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03213142