Social context affects the motivation of laboratory mice (Mus musculus) to gain access to resources (2003)

Sherwin, C. M.

Abstract

The trained mice were housed with non-trained cage-mates in a start-cage that required them to perform the operant task to enter a resource-cage providing either additional space or a running wheel. The presence of cage-mates in the start-cage significantly decreased the number of visits/24 h to the running wheel, the number of bouts and the duration of wheel running, but had no effect on the number of visits to additional space. The presence of cage-mates increased the duration of time spent in the resource-cage both when this provided additional space or a running wheel. .. These data show that social context can have a significant effect on the motivation that animals have for resources, and this effect is resource dependent.