Abstract

The effect of rearing in isolation on later gregariousness was studied in A/J strain of albino mice. Twenty-four male mice were separated from their own litters on the 23rd day of life and reared in isolation (N=12) or in groups of 4(N=12) for 90 days. Gregariousness was tested in pairs for 6 hours in the automated preference chamber for mice (Lafayette model No. 89004). The results obtained are as follows: Firstly, the isolation-reared animals showed significantly more gregariousness than those of group-reared animals for 6 hours' testing period. Secondly, in the first one hour duration in this chamber, housing had no effect on gregariousness. Over the first one hour of experiment, isolated mice continued to be more gregariousness than grouped mice. Lastly, the subjects preferred to affiliate with those of same housing experience rather than with those of different.