---
abstract: 'To determine whether observing components of periparturitional behavior affects the manifestation of those behaviors in virgin rats, virgins selected for nonplacentophagia and for the absence of spontaneous maternal behavior toward pups were exposed to stimulus rats that were giving birth, eating placenta, or eating lab chow. During observations, subjects could either eat donor placenta or just see and smell it. The subjects were tested subsequently for placentophagia and for the rate of onset of pup-induced maternal behavior. The results indicated that: (1) access to placenta in the presence of other rats led to placentophagia; (2) when such placentophagia occurred in conjunction with exposure to other rats that were giving birth or eating donor placenta, the subjects became permanent placentophages (otherwise, the subjects reverted and did not eat on subsequent placentophagia tests); (3) none of the observation conditions, regardless of the availability of placenta during observation, affected the maternal sensitization latency. The results are discussed in terms of social facilitation, exposure learning, and desensitization to exteroceptive stimuli.'
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creators_id:
- kristal@buffalo.edu
- ''
creators_name:
- family: Kristal
given: Mark B.
honourific: Dr.
lineage: ''
- family: Nishita
given: J. Ken
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
date: 1981
date_type: published
datestamp: 2007-10-22 10:45:16
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dir: disk0/00/00/57/67
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eprint_status: archive
eprintid: 5767
fileinfo: /style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png;/5767/1/obs.pdf
full_text_status: public
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keywords: 'placentophagia, maternal behavior, rat, observational learning, placenta, exposure learning, social facilitation'
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:56:58
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metadata_visibility: show
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number: 4
pagerange: 545-550
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publication: Animal Learning & Behavior
publisher: Psychonomic Society
refereed: TRUE
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reportno: ~
rev_number: 24
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status_changed: 2007-10-22 10:45:16
subjects:
- behav-neuro-sci
- bio-ani-behav
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title: Observing birth and placentophagia affects placentophagia but not maternal behavior of virgin rats
type: journalp
userid: 88
volume: 9