Learning During Exploration: The Role of Behavioral Topography During Exploration in Determining Subsequent Adaptive Behavior in the Sprague-Dawley Rat ( Rattus norvegicus)

Abstract

Two investigations demonstrated that behaviors employed by male rats in exploration influenced the information gained from that exploration. In Exp 1, 16 Ss from either enriched (EC) or impoverished conditions (IC) were chased by a mechanical device after 2 days of exploring an arena with a hidden escape route. Although EC and IC Ss were not differentially stressed by the procedure, behaviors relevant to predicting escape showed EC–IC differences. Exp 2 followed the same procedures as Exp 1, but the 12 Ss were chased after only 3 min of arena experience. As in Exp 1, EC Ss escaped significantly more quickly than IC Ss.