Open-field behavior of C3H mice: Effect of size and illumination of field

Abstract

Open-field activity and defecation scores were obtained from C3H mice tested for 4 days in fields of three different sizes and two illumination levels. Overall activity was greatest in the largest field and decreased as the fields decreased in size. High illumination reliably decreased activity in the larger fields, but not in the smallest field. Size of field affected defecation scores for male, but not for female, Ss; illumination level had no reliable effect for either sex on any of the three field sizes. The results suggest that contradictory results reported in the open-field literature may be due in part to lack of standardization of the open-field test rather than to differential effects of prior treatments. © 1970, Psychonomic Journals, Inc.. All rights reserved.