Acute alterations of behavioral rhythms through classical conditioning.
A classical conditioning method was used to alter in acute fashion a discrete portion of the activity rhythm of squirrel monkeys living in social groups. Time of day was considered the unconditioned stimulus, while a previously neutral flashing light was used as the conditioned stimulus. When the CS was associated with an active period, its subsequent presentation during a quiet time of day resulted in significant increases in activity in conditioned subjects. This demonstration of the conditionability of daily activity patterns has important implications in both clinical and experimental settings.
D000204:Activity Cycles; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002427:Cebidae / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012453:Saimiri / Q000502:physiology*