Changes in the Ethogram in Rats Due to Contagion Behavior

摘要

Experiments were performed using a model of contagion behavior based on drinking behavior in rats. Observer rats without the drinking motivation, in the presence of a familiar conspecific with drinking motivation who demonstrated drinking behavior (demonstrator rats), displayed behavioral signs of the drinking motivation, i.e., signs of contagion behavior. Analysis of transition probability matrixes to investigate changes in the ethogram in observer rats demonstrated contagion behavior. Decreases in the frequency of aggressive and defensive behavioral patterns were seen in these animals, along with simultaneous increases in the frequency of exploratory activity, drinking, and exploratory approaches to bottles as compared with the ethograms of observer rats not displaying signs of contagion behavior on testing in the presence of a familiar conspecific demonstrator without the drinking motivation.