The fearless avoiders: Comparison of various strains of rats in an active avoidance task

The effect of exploratory activity and emotional reactivity on the acquisition of active avoidance learning was assessed in rats. Four strains of rats selectively bred for a high or low degree of either of the two traits (Maudsley emotionally reactive animals, Maudsley emotionally non-reactive animals, high rearers, and low rearers) and a control strain (randombred animals) took part in the experiment. Significant differences were found between strains in the number of animals showing active avoidance behaviour. Emotional reactivity was shown to facilitate active avoidance behaviour and so did, unexpectedly, a low degree of exploratory activity. An attempt was made to explain the latter result in terms of differences in channel capacity between high and low exploring animals and the ensuing differences in attention focus on the relevant stimulus for the test situation.