Showing papers in "Canadian Journal of Psychology\/revue Canadienne De Psychologie in 1968"

Self-licking deprivation and maternal behaviour in the primiparous rat.

Abstract: The purpose of this experiment was to rear female rats under various degrees of self-licking deprivation to test the hypothesis that good maternal behaviour is depen­ dent upon prior self-licking experiences. Self-licking was prevented by the placement of rub­ ber collars about the necks of the subjects. The subjects, reared individually, were collared at weaning age (21 days) and decollared shortly before parturition of their litters. The design of the collars was such that four collared ex­ perimental groups were permitted varying degrees of self­ licking and collar-licking from weaning age to full matu­ rity. A control group was reared under identical condi­ tions except that these subjects were not collared. Measures were implemented which assessed the effec­ tiveness of the collaring treatments in preventing self­ licking and collar-licking. Other measures, designed to assess the adequacy of maternal behaviour, were performed. The analyses of the data measures showed that mater­ nal behaviour is independent of the amount of prior self­ licking experience. The status of collar-licking as a basis upon which maternal behaviour may be mediated re­ mains to be determined. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.