EFFECTS OF EARLY EXPERIENCE ON SOCIAL LEARNING IN RATS

In a 2 * 2 factorial design 24 male albino rats reared socially or in isolation were presented a social stimulus for 75 days as a discriminative cue for reward (S+) or for nonreward (S-). Ss raised under the social/S- condition required more than twice the number of trials to learn a following response as other groups. Total number of following responses emitted in extinction was significantly higher for Ss reared socially than for Ss reared as isolates. Results were consistent with previous findings on the role of nonreward in discrimination learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.