Abstract
BALB/c mice were subjected to severe maternal separation during the first 18 days of life, and data on adult emotional reactivity was later obtained. Mothers were removed from the pups for a period of 10 h out of every 12, beginning 24 h after birth until weaning at 18 days. After weaning, experimental and control groups were divided into isolate/nonisolate groups. At 45 days of age, all animals were tested for 3 consecutive days in an automated open field on three dependent measures: defecation, activity level, and quadrants traversed. The data obtained on activity level and quadrants traversed offer some evidence that severe maternal separation using intact litters may result in decreased emotional reactivity. The defecation data, however, were in the opposite direction of increased emotional reactivity. The implications of this and similar studies are discussed.
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This study is based on a Master’s thesis submitted by the second author to the Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MA degree.
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LaBarba, R.C., Hodge, R. Severe maternal separation and adult emotional reactivity in BALB/c mice. Psychon Sci 19, 154–155 (1970). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335523
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335523