Abstract
The open-field behavior of two inbred strains of mice (BALB/cJ and C57BL/6J) was observed under five levels of test illumination. Increased level of test illumination resulted in reduced activity in both strains, with the albino BALB strain more greatly affected than the pigmented C57BL strain. In addition, open-field defecation scores of the BALB strain were increased as a function of increasing test illumination, whereas those of the C57BL strain were little affected. These results support the hypothesis that differences in open-field behavior are due in part to a visually mediated fear reaction which is a function of test illumination.
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1. Supported in part by NIH grant GM-12486.
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McReynolds, W.E., Weir, M.W. & DeFries, J.C. Open-field behavior in mice: Effect of test illumination. Psychon Sci 9, 277–278 (1967). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332220
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332220