The rat's long-term preference for complexity in its environment

Abstract

Locomotor, resting, and feeding responses to four levels of environmental complexity were measured in a two-phase study. In a long-term free-choice testing situation (ad-lib phase), subjects (N = 20) demonstrated a marked preference for high complexity during "day" conditions. This preference, present in the patterns of resting and locomotor behavior, was partially preserved under "night" conditions. The patterns of feeding behavior were essentially independent of complexity preference. The same subjects in the discrete trial phase of the study chose high complexity most often in a four-choice testing situation. The apparent preference for high environmental complexity was interpreted as a shelter/relaxation seeking response elicited by the number or complexity of elements in the complexity area. Complexity seemed to reduce the arousal level of the subject, arguing against current arousal hypotheses which suggest that complex stimuli are attractive because of their arousal-inducing qualities. © 1975 Psychonomic Society, Inc.