Abstract
Dutch belt rabbits placed in a number of postures remained immobile for longest durations in a back, shortest durations in a sitting, and for intermediate durations in side and front postures. Although atropine and chlorpromazine prolonged and eserine and amphetamine decreased immobility durations, the relative relation of posture to immobility duration was maintained. The drug treatments also affected the duration of spontaneously occurring periods of immobility in a way similar to that observed with induced immobility. There was an inverse relation between body core temperature and immobility duration. The results are discussed in relation to the relative contribution made by central and peripheral factors to the maintenance of immobility.
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This research was supported by Grant A 8273, awarded to Ian Q. Whishaw by the National Research Council of Canada. The authors thank Timothy Schallert for discussing many facets of the experiment, Bryan Kolb for useful comments on the manuscript, and Adria Allen for typing.
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Flannigan, K.P., Whishaw, I.Q. The effects of some pharmacological agents on the duration of immobility shown by rabbits placed in various postures. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 10, 499–502 (1977). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337710
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337710