Exploration activity and emotionality of albino and pigmented mice: Inheritance and effects of test illumination.

Abstract

Gave a total of 96 inbred parental albino (A/J) and pigmented (C57BL/6J) mice, F1 and F2 groups, and mutant albino mice (C57BL/6Jc) and controls repeated test trials in an open field. For all trials, mode of inheritance of exploratory activity was intermediate while mode of inheritance of emotionality was dominant. When tested with red illumination, all groups had higher scores of exploration and lower scores of emotionality compared with scores obtained with white illumination. Albino F2 groups and mutant albino groups did not differ from pigmented Ss in total activity or emotionality. However, inbred albino and mutant albino Ss did not reduce activity within trials as much as pigmented groups. Heritability estimates were consistently high over a 6-trial series for both exploration and emotionality, and estimates of number of genetic factors on Trials 3-6 were 1 for both scores. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)