[Classical conditioning of agonistic behavior in the Syrian golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus Waterhouse)].

Abstract

Nine different reactions of unconditioned agonistic behavior of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus Waterhouse) which could be elicited by an air blow (UCS) were classically conditioned at a sound of a xylophone (tone g), a previously neutral stimulus. Tone g (CS) was paired with UCS for a different number of trials/day. In all animals exposed to over 20 pairings/day components of the agonistic behavior were brought under the control of CS, but it was not possible to predict which one of the agonistic reactions would appear. Most of the animals generalized and also showed conditioned reactions (CR) when presenting tone c' instead of tone g. When utilizing a differential conditioning procedure the animals learned to discriminate between the different tones. Extinction of CR at tone g was reached after an individually different number of trials.