A theory of behavioral generality and specificity during mild stress

Abstract

A definitional system is given for the concepts of generality and specificity for behavioral variables, relating to signs and sizes of their intercorrelations. In particular, a mapping sentence is provided for defining the universe of observations for emotional behavior of mice under mild stress. Its three content facets are: (a) the temporal features of frequency, latency, and duration, (b) type of control, autonomic or voluntary, and (c) the experimental situation, the apparatus. Data from three studies published previously by other authors are analyzed by Smallest Space Analysis (ssa‐I). In each case, the smallest space is found to be partitioned into contiguous regions corresponding to the elements of the three facets.