Social Facilitation of Exploratory Behavior in Rats: Effects of Increased Exposure to Novel Stimuli

Abstract

In a replication of an earlier study, with minor modifications of apparatus and an increase of trial durations from 4 to 6 min., 6 male albino rats (Group A) who had previously explored a novel stimulus were run with 6 rats who had not. When compared with 6 rats (Group B) who had explored the stimulus and were then run with 6 Ss who had equivalent experience, Group A Ss showed significantly more exploratory responses than Group B Ss ( p = > .001). Group A Ss made 103 exploratory responses within 5 sec. of Ss with which they were paired, while Group B Ss made none. These results were in the same direction as those reported in the previous study, but the differences were much greater.