Genetic and environmental influences on reactive and spontaneous locomotor activities in rats.

Paired groups of rats (derived from divergent, selective breeding or living in divergent environmental conditions) were compared with regard to locomotor activities. Intrapair differences were found to vary non-systematically, depending upon whether the rats were initially exposed to a test-environment with or without a slight environmental modification (reactive activities), or were allowed to habituate extensively to the environment (spontaneous activity). Since the behavioral patterns were found to represent distinct entities, this pointed to the necessity of differentiating clearly between spontaneous and reactive activities and indicated, once again, that both genetic and environmental influences are important in these behaviors and must be taken into account. Accepting and controlling for these variables makes it possible to use the factor of individual differences in laboratory animal behavior to advantage.