The Effects of Habituation on Separation-Distress Vocalizations in the Anxiety-Depression Continuum

Author

Lindsey M. Louviere, University of Mississippi

Date of Award

1-1-2007

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

First Advisor

Kenneth Sufka

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

The chick model ofthe anxiety-depression continuum has been used to examine the disorder’s pathology and treatment outcomes. However, little is known about how habituation to different stressors affects the behavior ofthe animal. In this study, different groups ofsocially-raised chicks received habituation to the experimenter via handling, acclimation to the apparatus with a social companion, or acclimation to the apparatus under an isolated condition for 4 days prior to a 60 min isolation test in which the animal’s latency to vocalize and number of distress vocalizations were recorded. The latency to vocalize decreased and the number ofdistress vocalizations increased as a function ofincreasing habituation exposure. This information about the relationship between variables will be useful in future research using the anxiety-depression model in psychopharmacology research.

Recommended Citation

Louviere, Lindsey M., "The Effects of Habituation on Separation-Distress Vocalizations in the Anxiety-Depression Continuum" (2007). Honors Theses. 2785.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2785

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