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Reflexive fighting in the albino rat: Aggressive or defensive behavior?
Author(s) -
Blanchard Robert J.,
Blanchard D. Caroline,
Takahashi Lorey K.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
aggressive behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.223
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1098-2337
pISSN - 0096-140X
DOI - 10.1002/1098-2337(1977)3:2<145::aid-ab2480030205>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - reflexivity , agonistic behaviour , aggression , psychology , task (project management) , biting , poison control , social psychology , medicine , medical emergency , biology , ecology , engineering , sociology , social science , systems engineering
Specific agonistic responses of albino rats were compared for dominant colony rats and intruders, and for rats in a “reflexive fighting” task. The “reflexive fighters” showed high levels of defensive responses such as boxing and freezing, and very low levels of aggressive behaviors such as piloerection, biting, and the lateral display. This pattern clearly suggests that the behaviors measured in the reflexive fighting task reflect conspecific defensive reactions, rather than “shockelicited aggression.” Moreover, striking responses seen in the reflexive fighting task also occur at a high rate when footshock is given to a solitary rat held in a boxing posture. Thus it appears that “reflexive fighting” primarily involves defensive rather than aggressive responses.