The Effect of Social Context on Associative Learning

Description

Many organisms associate environmental events that occur together and can predict the outcome of the event. This ability is termed associative learning. Through associative learning, organisms are able to change their behavior to increase their fitness and survival. However, little…

Many organisms associate environmental events that occur together and can predict the outcome of the event. This ability is termed associative learning. Through associative learning, organisms are able to change their behavior to increase their fitness and survival. However, little is known about how these same learning processes proceed when subjects are not alone, but in a group. The behavior of conspecifics could serve as a cue for learning, similar to stimuli during individual learning. This study was designed to compare learning across rats exposed to a simple simultaneous discrimination task, either in an individual or a social learning setting. Sixteen rats were trained to choose between two corridors differentiated by visual stimuli (flashing or steady light). One of the two cues signaled that food was available in the feeders at the end of the corridor. Half of the rats were trained individually and the other half were trained in groups of four. To compare the effect of the social training setting, all rats were tested independently and in a group. Next, contingencies were reversed and the previously non-reinforced cue now signaled the availability of food, and rats were again tested individually and in a group. The results suggest that the social setting interferes with the rats’ ability to make associations but makes the performance of the rats less sensitive to changes in their learning environment.

Date Created
2023-05
Agent

Effects of Adolescent Social Stress on Binge Drinking in Mice

Description
Social stress during adolescence has been linked to increased ethanol intake in adulthood. It is unknown if social stress during adolescence also causes changes in the patterns of drinking, such as drinking in bouts instead of spreading out each drink.…

Social stress during adolescence has been linked to increased ethanol intake in adulthood. It is unknown if social stress during adolescence also causes changes in the patterns of drinking, such as drinking in bouts instead of spreading out each drink. Animal models of social stress utilize mice and social isolation. Half of the mice used in this experiment were isolated for their adolescent period, whereas the other half were housed in groups. In Phase 1, mice completed a two-bottle choice Drinking in the Dark (DID) procedure in order to model binge drinking and measure ethanol intake. In Phase 2, mice completed a free choice behavioral task, choosing between milk alone and milk mixed with ethanol. Phase 1 showed increased ethanol intake in females and in mice that were isolated. Within this phase, there was also a sex x treatment interaction, with isolated males drinking significantly more alcohol than social males. Phase 2 also showed that females drink more ethanol than males but showed no difference in their pattern of drinking. In addition, there was a sex x treatment x reinforcer interaction, demonstrating that isolated females drank significantly more vehicle than any other group. These results reaffirm that adolescent social stress is linked to increased ethanol intake, yet may not change the pattern of drinking. This suggests that the effects of social isolation during adolescence on patterns of drinking should be investigated further.
Date Created
2022-12
Agent
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