| Abstract: | In a square exploration box comprising a familiar and a novel half, hooded rats of both sexes were confronted with brightness differences between the two halves, brightness changes in the novel half, and attenuation of odour cues. Only males showed a significant preference for occupying the novel half when it had been visible but physically inaccessible during prior confinement to the familiar half. Although the brightness differences and changes did not affect the rats' novelty-related location preferences, preferences were lower whenever the novel half was white. This obvious brightness aversion was accentuated by a change from black to white. Attenuation of odour cues by washing the apparatus resulted in males (as well as females) failing to show a preference for the novel half. It was concluded that, although disparities in the specific type of visual information provided did not affect preferences, female rats appeared able to familiarize themselves with the future novel half through being able to see into it, whereas males may have required odour information for this to occur. |
