Acquisition and retention of active avoidance in Xenopus laevis

Abstract

Adult male South African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, were trained in an aquatic shuttlebox on one-way active avoidance of electric shock. Acquisition was observed within daily sessions (30 trials) and between days (4 days). Control groups indicated that learning, rather than pseudoconditioning or sensitization to the CS, was responsible for the observed change in behavior. A retraining measure yielded appreciable savings after a 28-day retention period. Some of the advantages of this species for behavioral research are discussed. © 1974, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.