Peering into the Dynamics of Social Interactions: Measuring Play Fighting in Rats

May combine two claims.

When a defender executes a complete rotation, the movement is quick and fluid; on a standard 30 fps recording, a rotation to fully supine takes 2-3 frames and the movement is continuous.

“When a defender executes a complete rotation, the movement is quick and fluid -if videotaped on a standard 30 fps recording, a rotation to fully supine takes 2-3 frames and the movement is continuous (Video).”

May combine two claims.

A 'forced' supine from partial rotation occurs in a staccato manner, with incremental rotation of the body, and can take substantially more than 3 video frames.

“Such a 'forced' supine occurs in a staccato manner, with incremental rotation of the body, and can take substantially more than 3 video frames (Video showing a partial rotation leading to the defender adopting a supine position).”

May combine two claims.

A partial rotation can also end in a fully supine position, but this typically involves the concerted actions of the attacker.

“A partial rotation can also end in a fully supine position, but this typically involves the concerted actions of the attacker.”

May combine two claims.

Following the lesion and re-establishment of social relationships, the controls continued to show a high degree of asymmetry, whereas the OFC damaged rats showed virtually no difference in their pattern of defense when attacked by the dominant male or by the female.

“Following the lesion and the re-establishment of social relationships, the controls continued to show a high degree of asymmetry, whereas the OFC damaged rats showed virtually no difference in their pattern of defense when attacked by the dominant male or by the female (Figure 4).”

May combine two claims.

There was no significant difference either before or after surgery in the frequency of playful attacks, the probability of defense or in the use of facing defense between the subordinates in the experimental and control conditions.

“There was no significant difference either before or after surgery in the frequency of playful attacks, the probability of defense or in the use of facing defense between the subordinates in the experimental and control conditions.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The control rats in Table 1 show typical values for these measures when using Long-Evans hooded rats.

“The column in Table 1 for the control rats shows the typical values for these measures when using Long-Evans hooded rats.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The tactic attempted by the subject can be judged by examining the movements of the defender within the first 2-3 frames of the commencement of a defensive action.

“This judgment can be made by examining the movements of the defender within the first 2-3 frames of the commencement of a defensive action (Video highlighting the first 2-3 frames, frame-by-frame).”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The relative defensiveness of the recipient of attacks can be measured as the proportion of attacks defended.

“Third, given that defense is contingent on attack, the relative defensiveness of the recipient of attacks can be measured as the proportion of attacks defended.”

May combine two claims.

Brief periods of social isolation increase the motivation to engage in social play while not having a similar effect on other social behavior such as social investigation.

“Brief periods of social isolation increases the motivation to engage in social play while not having a similar effect on other social behavior such as social investigation 9 .”

• cites [9]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

May combine two claims.

Play fighting in the rat involves attack and defense of the nape of the neck, which if contacted is gently nuzzled with the snout.

“Rats, for example, attack and defend the nape of the neck 15 , which if contacted is gently nuzzled with the snout 11,32 .”

• cites [15]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites [11]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites [32]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

May combine two claims.

By 15 min, animals appear fatigued by vigorous play; trials lasting 10 min are a good compromise between economy of protocol and ability to detect experimental effects.

“Even so, by 15 min, the animals appear fatigued by the vigorous play and consequently, trials lasting 10 min are a good compromise between economy of protocol and the ability to detect experimental effects 15,16,27 .”

• cites [15]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites [16]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites [27]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The scoring schema is designed to detect and evaluate changes in the content of play following an experimental treatment.

“That is, the schema presented here is designed to detect and evaluate changes in the content of play following an experimental treatment.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Playful attacks can be measured when the snout of one rat either contacts or comes within 1-2 cm of its partner's nape.

“Playful attacks can be measured when the snout of one rat either contacts or comes within 1-2 cm of its partner's nape (Video showing a playful attack compared to non-playful movements near partner rat).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

The type of defense used against a playful attack is best expressed contingently as a percentage because it is contingent on defense having taken place.

“How a particular attack is defended against can involve one of several tactics, and these are contingent on defense having taken place; consequently, the type of defense is also best expressed contingently as a percentage.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Playful defense, because it can only occur in response to attack, is best measured as a percentage (#attacks defended/total # attacks X 100%).

“However, playful defense, as it can only occur in response to attack, is necessarily a contingent measure that is best measured as a percentage (#attacks defended/total # attacks X 100%).”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

A low frequency of complete rotations could arise because of low rates of attack or because subjects used the complete rotation infrequently even if attacked just as frequently as controls.

“For example, a low frequency of complete rotations could arise because of low rates of attack or because the subjects in that particular experimental condition used the complete rotation infrequently even if they had been attacked just as frequently as the animals in the control condition.”

May combine two claims.

Trials of 5 min can detect isolation-induced changes but are too short to detect subtle differences such as those between the sexes due to a ceiling effect; the greater propensity for males to play mostly emerges after the first 5 min.

“While trials of 5 min can detect such isolation-induced changes, they are too short to detect subtle differences such as those between the sexes due to a ceiling effect -in this example, the greater propensity for males to play mostly emerges after the first 5 min.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

When scoring play, there is a sequential analysis: how many attacks are launched by the subjects (number/unit time), how many attacks are defended against (probability of defense), and when defending, the likelihood of using different tactics (%tactics).

“Thus, when scoring play, there is a sequential analysis: how many attacks are launched by the subjects (number/unit time), how many attacks are defended against (i.e., probability of defense), and when defending, what is the likelihood of using the different tactics of defense (%tactics).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

In some situations, the current framework is likely to be inadequate if used alone.

“In some situations, the current framework is likely to be inadequate if used alone.”

May combine two claims.

Even though the OFC damaged subordinates played just as much as the controls, they were no longer able to discriminate between their pair mates.

“That is, even though the OFC damaged subordinates played just as much as the controls, they were no longer able to discriminate between their pair mates, supporting the hypothesis that partner-related modulation of play and other social behaviors is mediated by the OFC”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The asymmetry index (difference in probability of complete rotation with the dominant male versus the female) reflects the subordinate male's ability to discriminate between its pair mates.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

A scoring scheme that is sensitive to those dynamics and the contingent nature of the actions performed is needed.

“As a consequence, a scoring scheme that is sensitive to those dynamics and the contingent nature of the actions performed is needed.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The orbital frontal cortex (OFC) was tested as a likely candidate structure in such modulation, given its role in regulating social behavior generally.

“The orbital frontal cortex (OFC) was tested as a likely candidate structure in such modulation, given its role in regulating social behavior generally 7 .”

• cites [7]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The distance at which rats respond to the approach of an attacker can influence the type and the success of the tactics executed.

“For example, the distance at which rats respond to the approach of an attacker can influence the type and the success of the tactics executed 25 .”

• cites [25]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Complete removal of the cortex can lead to adult rats that can function relatively normally in laboratory environments.

“Complete removal of the cortex can lead to adult rats that can function relatively normally in laboratory environments 42 , however, given the presumed role of large brains in promoting play in mammals 3 , we wanted to test whether play is reduced in rats without a cortex.”

• cites [42]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Play fighting is a complex, dynamic interaction in which the participants continually influence each other's behavior.

“Play fighting is a complex, dynamic interaction in which the participants continually influence each other's behavior.”

May combine two claims.

In males, with the onset of puberty, there is a relative decline in use of the complete rotation tactic and an increase in use of the partial rotation tactic, with other tactics remaining at about the same frequency at all ages.

“In males, with the onset of puberty, there is a relative decline in their use of the complete rotation tactic (Different Video of Full Rotation as shown in above parts) and an increase in their use of the partial rotation tactic (Different Video of Partial Rotation as show in above parts), with the other tactics remaining at about the same frequency at all ages 16 .”

• cites [16]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

In play fighting, this can be when the attacker is approaching the neck from a perpendicular angle and the recipient is at least one body length away from a wall, thus removing confounds that could arise from opportunity rather than capacity.

“In the case of play fighting, this can be when the attacker is approaching the neck from a perpendicular angle and the recipient is at least one body length away from a wall, thus removing the confounds that could arise from opportunity rather than capacity 22 .”

• cites [22]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

May combine two claims.

Decorticates infrequently adopted the complete rotation defensive strategy, which is the most common route by which pins arise.

“Thus, decorticates infrequently adopted a defensive strategy -complete rotation -that is the most common route by which pins arise.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Although the currently proposed framework may have limitations when used as the sole method of studying play, modifications can be introduced in a manner that meets specific research goals and does so while retaining the guiding principle of the contingent and dynamic nature of such interactions.

“Therefore, although the currently proposed framework may have limitations when used as the sole method of studying play, modifications can be introduced in a manner that meets specific research goals and does so while retaining the guiding principle of the contingent and dynamic nature of such interactions 13 .”

• cites [13]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

May combine two claims.

A recent analysis of juvenile play in wild-type rats compared to Long-Evans rats showed that, because defensive actions began at a bigger inter-animal distance than in the wild rats, measuring nape attacks alone underestimated the measure of play.

“For example, a recent analysis of juvenile play in wild-type rats compared to Long-Evans rats showed that, because defensive actions began at a bigger inter-animal distance than in the wild rats, measuring nape attacks alone underestimated the measure of play.”

• cites Himmler et al., work in progressNot matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

The currently proposed framework for scoring the actions performed during play can be thought of as a skeleton, upon which additional measurements can be incorporated as needed.

“Thus, the currently proposed framework for scoring the actions performed during play can be thought of as a skeleton, upon which additional measurements can be incorporated as needed.”

May combine two claims.

The pubertal decline in play fighting is because rats decrease the frequency of launching nape attacks, but maintain the same high probability of defense.

“This is because they decrease the frequency of their launching of nape attacks, but maintain the same, high probability of defense 17 .”

• cites [17]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.