[Age and elaboration of conditioned reflex switching in dogs].

Conditioned switching-over during initial elaboration of either a food-procuring or defensive (two-way shuttle-box avoidance) reflex in the same experimental chamber was studied in one-and-a-half month puppies and adult dogs. In the adult animals, initial learning of both habits proceeded more rapidly than in the puppies. When the defensive habit was elaborated first, subsequent elaboration of the food-procuring reflex in conditions of switching-over was much longer due to a high level of fear. In the puppies, on the contrary, regardless of which of the two habits was elaborated first, duration of the second habit elaboration in conditions of switching-over was considerably shorter. The transfer of experience from one experimental situation to other is apparently facilitated by absence of fear. The data obtained are considered from the viewpoint of the hypothesis on similarity in the behaviour of puppies and adult hippocampectomized dogs.