title: The role of social experience in the development of sexual competence in Rattus norvegicus.
abstract: To clarify the hitherto ambiguous role of pubertal social experience in determining adult sexual competence in male Rattus norvegicus , the quality of the subjects' social interactions was manipulated. In Experiment 1, subjects were raised from weaning onwards in male-only groups, in groups with limited periods of social deprivation at various ages, or in total isolation. Only the latter showed a significant degree of sexual impairment. In Experiment 2, subjects were raised in mixed-sex groups, in total physical (but not visual or olfactory) isolation from a surrounding mixed-sex group, or in physical isolation except for one hour's social contact per day with a peer. All of these subjects were sexually competent as adults. It thus appears that, in the laboratory rat, social deprivation must consist of total physical and visual and/or olfactory isolation in order to produce a significant degree of sexual impairment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University College London, Gower St., London, WC1E 6BT, England.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hole
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Einon
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Plotkin