A study of some enriching variables in a free-environment for rats

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Abstract

A Number of studies have demonstrated that enrichment of early experience enhances the learning ability of the rat in later life, while restriction to laboratory cages retards learning ability [1–6]. These studies used early handling as the enriching experience. More recently, in an attempt to validate more thoroughly the findings of the earlier studies by using a different enrichment experience, we used a free-environment or ‘rat playground’ [7]. In the latter study, rats were removed from their individual cages and placed in the free-environment for 2 hr per day. It was observed that, during this 2 hr period, the animals spent their time in vigorous running about the large space of the playground, generally ignoring the ‘toys’ with which it was furnished. This led to the inference that space in which to run and the opportunity for greater visual experience were more important variables than the potential enriching quality of the toys; the present studies are an attempt to test this inference.

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