Andrea L. Wesley

Social interactions among rodent conspecifics: A review of experimental paradigms

The authors suggest that kin selection theory offers a different perspective from which to examine social interactions among rodent conspecifics. Paradigms designed to investigate various interactions among rodent conspecifics are presented, and include simple affiliative behaviors, social facilitation, and cooperation. It is established that many species of rodents are appropriately social to use as subjects under investigation in research which focuses on topics such as kin selection. Studies reporting positive results as well as some reporting negative or inconclusive results have been presented for the purpose of informing the reader under which conditions we might expect specific social behaviors to occur. It is concluded that a combined method of a sociobiological perspective using established experimental procedures will offer unique opportunities for the investigation of specific predictions suggested by kin selection theory.

Discrimination by olfactory cues in albino rats reflecting familiarity and relatedness among conspecifics.

The present investigation sought to determine whether albino rat pups could discriminate among familiar siblings, nonfamiliar siblings, familiar nonsiblings (foster littermates), and nonfamiliar nonsiblings (unrelated agemates) using only olfactory cues. Pairing all possible combinations of familiarity and kinship variables (six), the odors were presented in paired combinations to each of twelve experimental subjects. Results from dependent t tests indicated that the albino rat pups could discriminate between the following pairs of odors using only the olfactory sensory modality: (a) familial siblings and nonfamiliar siblings, (t = 3.41, p = .006); (b) familiar siblings and nonfamiliar nonsiblings, (t = 9.62, p = .001); (c) nonfamiliar siblings and nonfamiliar nonsiblings, (t = 3.15, p = .009); and (d) familiar nonsiblings and nonfamiliar nonsiblings (t = 2.58, p = .026).

The effects of chronic ethanol challenges on aggressive responding in rats maintained on a semideprivation diet

A 2 by 3 factorial design was used to evaluate the effects of type of injection (saline vs. ethanol) and amount injected (.25 cc,.50 cc,.75 cc/100 g body weight) on shock-elicited aggression. All subjects were maintained on a restricted diet for the duration of the experiment. Intraperitoneal injections were administered to all subjects each day for 15 days. On the 15th day, each subject received shock-elicited aggression testing 15 min after the daily injection. The results indicated that the alcohol-injection subjects were significantly more aggressive than were the saline-injected subjects at the.25-cc level, but these subjects were significantly less aggressive at the.75-cc level.

Classroom Environment and Locus of Control in Identifying High and Low Self-Concept in Fourth- and Fifth-Graders

This study examined classroom environment and locus of control in identifying successfully children showing high and low self-concepts. In their respective intact classrooms, 107 fourth- and fifth-graders were administered the Piers-Harris Childrens Self-concept Scale, the Classroom Environment Scale, and the Nowicki-Strickland Childrens Locus of Control Scale. A stepwise discriminant analysis indicated that four variables in combination successfully classified 76% all cases, suggesting the importance of environmental factors associated with classrooms and locus of control in identifying self-concepts of children of elementary-school age.

Situational and Dispositional Social Cues That Define the Machiavellian Orientation

Abstract Situational and dispositional social cues present in high and low Machiavellian individuals were investigated in an attempt to distinguish these two types. Students from a coeducational university in the southeastern United States were administered the Mach V Scale, Rotter I-E Scale, Lennox-Wolfe Self-Monitoring Scale, and the Bem Androgyny Scale in small groups. Results of a stepwise discriminant analysis indicated that five variables combined to yield a successful discrimination between the groups. The classification analysis revealed successful classification of 85% of the high Mach individuals, although only 50% of the low Mach individuals were correctly classified. These findings suggest the need to reexamine the characteristics of the low Mach individual in order to define them more clearly.

The Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery-Children's Revision: Discrimination between Learning-Disabled and Slow-Learner Children

The ability of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery-Childrens Revision (LNNB-CR) to discriminate learning disabled (N = 27) and slow-learner (N = 14) students and to discriminate these groups when variance associated with IQ was controlled was examined. Also, the regression formula for diagnosis of brain damage, calculated from standardization data, was employed to determine the percentage of each group classified as brain damaged. Results indicated that the LNNB-CR discriminated between groups with 93% correct classification; three subscales contributed significantly to the discrimination: Intelligence, Motor, and Tactile. Univariate analyses of variance indicated significant differences between groups on the subscales of Motor, Writing, Arithmetic, and Intelligence. No significant differences were evidenced between groups with FSIQ covaried. Using the regression formula established with the standardization data, 100% of the slow-learner group and 78% of the learning-disabled group were labeled as brain damaged. The results suggest that the LNNB-CR does not provide additional information beyond that obtained through traditional psychoeducational assessment. The LNNB-CR is likely to overclassify mildly handicapped children as brain damaged.

Machiavellianism as a Strategy of Power Attainment in College Freshmen, Upperclassmen, and Graduate Students in Psychology

Winter in 1973 suggested that among several career groups, psychologists have a tendency to be high in the need for power (n Power). Machiavellianism, typically a strategy of manipulation, results in attainment of power or control over interpersonal situations. The present study investigated Machiavellianism as a means of power attainment in college students. The Mach V Scale was administered in a group format to the following: (a) college freshmen, (b) upperclass psychology majors, and (c) graduate students in psychology. Analysis indicated significantly different scores between groups as freshmen scored significantly lower than did upperclass or graduate students.

Personality Correlates of Multiple Choice Answer-Changing Patterns

On multiple-choice tests, 52 anxious college students changed answers significantly more often than nonanxious students. Nondepressed students, and those who held a positive view of the nature of man, were more successful in changing answers. Students who made Bs were more successful than C students in changing answers.

Huddling preferences among albino rats

The effects of kinship and familiarity upon huddling preferences were examined in 30 albino rat pups. Examined were preferences among familiar siblings, nonfamiliar siblings, familiar nonsiblings, and nonfamiliar agemates. Analysis indicated initial preferences among both related and familiar subjects, but preferences were less obvious on the second day of testing. Familiarity may be a primary influence affecting interactions among rat pup siblings.

Food sharing in albino rat pups: Does familiarity breed contempt?

The present experiment investigated the effects of kinship and familiarity upon food sharing in pairs of albino rat pups. Five pairs of rats from each of the following groups were tested: (1) familiar siblings, (2) nonfamiliar siblings, (3) familiar nonsiblings, and (4) nonfamiliar non-siblings. A small food portion was used, necessitating not only close physical contact, but also cooperation in the sense that both pups were required to remain relatively immobile in order for both to feed simultaneously. Results indicated more frequent sharing among unfamiliar pups, whether related or not. Results also indicated that food sharing increased in frequency among all four groups over the 5-day testing period, suggesting that cooperation in the form of food sharing can develop, or increase in frequency, over time in albino rat pups.