The Narrow-Path Elevated Maze for Studying Rats.

Abstract

Students of animal behavior concern themselves much with the problem of “learning,” and the influence that various factors may have upon it. The devices commonly employed in working this field are problem boxes and mazes.

A very unique maze was employed by Vincent 1 in a study on the use made of the vibrissae by the rat. The runways in this case were raised 2 feet above the laboratory floor, the paths were 4 inches wide and the walls which should have enclosed the runways were hinged at the lower edges so that they dropped below. This system of raised paths (not alleys) covered an area 54 × 54 inches and the open space separating adjoining parallel runways was 6 inches. The food box except where it connected with the maze was surrounded with 4 inch walls. Vincent reports that fewer errors were made on the “sideless maze” than when it was converted into an alley maze by turning up the hinged sides and hooking them together. The use of nose, vibrissae, feet and apparently eyes was easily noted with this elevated maze, but Vincent's study probably has not been widely or carefully read, otherwise many would have been prompted to try this type of device.

The narrow-path elevated maze illustrated in Fig. 1 differs in several respects from the Vincent “sideless maze”. It is an assembly of straight units which are stood up adjoining each other, and hence may be placed in many different combinations. There are 19 of these units in the pattern illustrated. The rat is started at S and in the illustration (see below the arrow at F) is shown eating at the “food-box”.