Passive and active avoidance behavior in the light-dark box test.

The temporal evolution of passive and active avoidance behaviors has been followed in rats, using the light-dark box test, by measuring step-through and exit latencies. The employed schedule consisted of three 7 day periods (free exploration, reinforced learning, forced extinction-retention). The data show clearly that the two learned behaviors are both rapidly established and exhibit significant differences only during extinction, active avoidance apparently depending on close temporal reinforcement. The diverse role of several behavioral and neurological mechanisms is hypothesized.