Growth curve analyses are best suited to examine the relation between developmental pathways and selective breeding: comment on Hofer, Shair, Masmela, & Brunelli, "Developmental effects of selective breeding for an infantile trait: the rat pup ultrasonic isolation call".
Hofer, Brunelli, Shair, & Masmela (2001) provide valuable information about the effects of selective breeding on rat-pup behaviors and physiology. Although the design and statistical analytic techniques employed are typical of those used to evaluate behavioral development in animals, I offer several suggestions about how to evaluate the influence of selective breeding on developmental pathways using modern statistical techniques. As Hofer et al. demonstrate, the development of rat behavior and physiology can be an excellent model for examining the relation between selection and development.
Michel
G F
GF
Psychology Department, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614-3504, USA. gmichel@condor.depaul.edu
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000235:genetics*; D001143:Arousal / Q000235:genetics*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012107:Research Design; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012934:Social Isolation; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000502:physiology*