| Abstract: | Conducted 4 experiments in which a total of 192 Sprague-Dawley albino rats were housed in pairs or apart for periods ranging from 15 min. to 15 mo. Long-term social isolation led to significant increases in social attraction, especially when the testing environment was familiar, and the immediately previous level of social contact was more important than prior social experience. Results suggest that the motivational consequences of social deprivation were more important than the opportunity for social learning afforded by social contact. Periods of social contact as short as 15-360 min. led to significant decreases in affiliation, while comparable periods of social deprivation had no significant effect, further supporting a motivational interpretation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
