EFFECTS OF HANDLING ON EXPLORATORY AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR OF MALE AND FEMALE LEWIS RATS

Exploration is considered to be a form of spontaneous activity and it seems to be a stable and phylogeniticaly old phenomenon. In laboratory conditions, many different methods are applied for measurement of activity motivated by need for stimulation. In our experiment we have decided to apply battery of tests - open field, elevated cross-maze and self-exposure chamber, assuming that these tests most fully and complementary measure various aspects of exploratory activity. Experimental factors influencing exploration activity which we decided to test are variables 'handling' and 'sex'. Obtained results show appropriate selection of research methods. An additive effect of experimental factors on indicators of exploratory behavior as well as on emotional behavior, except number of urinations in open field test and lack of interaction of 'handling' and 'sex' factors seems to support postulate of conducting research on mixed samples of males and females. Our results also confirm earlier signaled, existence of two independent motivational systems: one regulating behavior, aimed at new stimuli (expressed by alternation) and second adjusting general level of exploratory activity.