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Cited by 165Animal Behavior and ReproductionPrimate Behavior and EcologyBullying, Victimization, and Aggression

Life-span studies of dominance and aggression in established colonies of laboratory rats

Blanchard, Robert J., Flannelly, Kevin J., Blanchard, D.Caroline·1988·Physiology & Behavior
DOI 10.1016/0031-9384(88)90089-3
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Abstract

Six mixed-sex colonies of Long-Evans rats were observed at 100-day intervals from colony formation at 100 days of age until all colony members died. Long-term stable dominance relations were observed among males in four colonies while two colonies which had low initial levels of aggression continued to show low intracolony conflict at all ages and no clear dominance relationships. Agonistic interactions among females and between males and females were relatively infrequent and no dominance hierarchy among females was apparent. The aggression of resident males toward intruders increased from 201-601 days of age, but declined overall at age 701. Nevertheless, older males which fought intruders did so as readily as they had when they were young and the few animals that reached 800 days of age continued to attack intruders. Although no systematic decline in total duration or intensity of offense was found across age, there was some evidence of impaired motor performance by older males.

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Crossref · 10.1016/0031-9384(88)90089-3

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40 of 40 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • In the visible burrow system, rats rapidly form stable dominance hierarchies.

    “This can be simulated in the laboratory using a visible burrow system, a semi-naturalistic enclosure that replicates many of the challenges and opportunities of group-living in nature; in this setting, rats rapidly form stable dominance hierarchies (Fig. 3) (Blanchard et al., 1995, Blanchard et al., 1988, Opendak et al., 2016).”

    From Early life adversity during the infant sensitive period for attachment: Programming of behavioral neurobiology of threat processing and social behavior (2017) · cites this paper as Blanchard et al., 1988

  • The alpha animal confirms its position by fighting when needed.

    “This animal is called”

    From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [94]

  • In many studies of dominance among laboratory rats, a fraction of groups, ranging from about 5% to 35%, have asymmetries not pronounced enough to assign a clear social rank to some or any group members.

    “In many studies of dominance among laboratory rats there is a fraction of groups (ranging from ~5% to ~35%) in which asymmetries between the individuals are not pronounced enough to assign a clear social rank to some/any of the group-members.50,94,102,103,119,124,126”

    From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [94]

  • In male rats, fights are generally much more common than in females, but social ranks have been observed also among females.

    “In males, fights are generally much more common than in females, but some authors managed to observe social ranks also among the latter.56,94,111,112”

    From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [94]

  • Dominant rats are most likely to attack intruders approaching the colony.

    “Dominants are also most likely to attack intruders approaching the colony.94,109”

    From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [94]

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Authors
Blanchard, R. J., Flannelly, K. J., & Blanchard, D. C.
Affiliations
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
ORCID
Blanchard, D.Caroline
Venue
Physiology & Behavior
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1988-01
Volume
43
Issue
1
Pages
1-7
ISSN
0031-9384 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/0031-9384(88)90089-3
OpenAlex
W1992175858
Cited by
165
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 4
FWCI
7.86
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Physiology & Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (AG03060)
  • National Center for Research Resources (RR-0361)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
Keywords
dominance hierarchy, aggression, Long-Evans rats, lifespan development, resident-intruder aggression, motor performance decline, sex differences in aggression
MeSH terms
Aggression, Aging, Agonistic Behavior, Animals, Female, Male, Motor Skills, Rats, Inbred Strains, Social Dominance, Rats

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