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Visual exploratory behavior as a function of early handling, sex, and level of auditory prestimulation
Author(s) -
Wachs Theodore D.
Publication year - 1974
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.420070502
Subject(s) - stimulation , psychology , audiology , sexual stimulation , exploratory research , developmental psychology , neuroscience , medicine , sociology , anthropology , psychoanalysis
Previous research has indicated that preexposing animals to intense stimulation leads to subsequent decrements in exploratory behavior. The present study was an attempt to determine if early handling could “buffer” animals against intense stimulation effects. At birth, rat pups were assigned to either a handling or a nonhandling condition. As adults, they received either intense, moderate, or no stimulation prior to being allowed 3 min of visual exploration. The predictions were: (1) handled animals will show significantly more exploration than nonhandled animals; (2) intensely stimulated animals will show significantly less exploration than animals receiving lower amounts of stimulation; (3) handled animals, under intense stimulation, will show significantly more exploration than nonhandled animals under intense stimulation. The results supported the 2nd and 3rd predictions. The first prediction was supported, but was complicated by a Sex x Handling interaction.