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Novelty induced changes in spontaneous alternation by infant and adult rats
Author(s) -
Egger Garry J.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.420060507
Subject(s) - novelty , spontaneous alternation , alternation (linguistics) , stimulus (psychology) , ontogeny , psychology , developmental psychology , neuroscience , biology , endocrinology , cognitive psychology , social psychology , philosophy , linguistics , hippocampus
Previously, preweaned rats have been shown to perseverate rather than alternate choices of goal arms over 2 trials in a T‐maze. In this study 16‐day old animals were successfully induced to increase their rate of alternation to chance level in the present experiment by increasing the novelty value on Trial 2 of the previously unchosen goal arm. Similarly, 100‐day old rats were encouraged to decrease their level of alternation by enhancing the novelty value of the previously chosen arm. An explanation for these findings was offered in terms of the escitatory and inhibitory effects of a stimulus, and the gradual development of inhibition in ontogeny.