title: Determinants of the longevity of socially learned food preferences of Norway rats.
abstract: We conducted three experiments to examine variables that might influence the longevity of socially induced food preferences in Norway rats. The duration of social influence on the food choices of 42-day-old rats (1) increased with both increasing numbers of demonstrators and increasing numbers of demonstrations by a single demonstrator, (2) varied with the temporal distribution of demonstrations, but (3) did not vary with the age of demonstrators. The results suggest that a single episode of social learning produces short-term, but not long-term, effects on a Norway rat's food choices. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, McMaster University
authors.lastname: Galef jr BG
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Whiskin