Induction of habits in rats by a forced-choice procedure in T-maze and the effect of pre-test free exploration.
A forced-choice procedure in T-maze designed for the induction of habits was used to induce strong habits in rats. The response choices of rats in 20 free-choice trials were compared after the rats had been subjected to 1 or 200 forced-choice trials to one side of the T-maze. After 200 forced-choice trials the rats showed a significant (p<.001) propensity for the habitual arm of the maze in the subsequent free-choice trials. The habit was at least as pronounced when analysed over the last 10 free-choice trials as when it was analysed over the first 10 free-choice trials. When the rats were given the opportunity to explore the entire maze immediately before the free-choice challenge after 200 forced-choice trials, this resulted in a large variation in the choice pattern of the individual rats, and a subgroup of rats choose the newly opened maze arm in 95-100% of the 20 free-choice trials.
Moustgaard
Anette
A
Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen and University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark. amou@sund.ku.dk
Hau
Jann
J
D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D006184:Habits; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar