title: Observational learning and social facilitation in the rat.
abstract: Learning by rats was facilitated when response-relevant cues were provided by other rats; learning increased as a function of number of cues provided. These results suggest that rats can learn by imitation. Learning by rats that observed conspecifics not emitting response-relevant cues was retarded compared to learning by rats that did not observe conspecifics. This indicates that a conspecific's presence can also inhibit learning, a result consistent with social facilitation theory.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Zentall
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Levine