No abstract

Risk assessment and appetitive behaviors in response to familiar and unfamiliar conspecific odors were measured in mice rendered dominant or subordinate by a series of resident‐intruder encounters. Subordinate mice showed elevated levels of risk assessment in response to the odors of both familiar dominant and unfamiliar males. These behaviors were almost totally absent among dominant males exposed to familiar subordinate or unfamiliar male odors. Subordinate mice showed a marginally significant elevation in latencies to approach familiar, but not unfamiliar, dominant odors. Dominant and subordinate mice spent comparable amounts of time in the cage area containing familiar antagonist odors, however, and the durations of subordinates were mildly elevated, rather than decreased, when unfamiliar conspecific odors were present. There were no group differences in any of the appetitive behaviors. These findings suggest that apparent preferences for conspecific odors may arise from quantitatively and/or qualitatively differing emotional states. The inclusion of risk assessment measures is suggested to be a useful adjunct for studies of olfactory preference/rejection. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

No abstract

The effects of treatment with three chlordiazepoxide (CDP) doses (2.0, 8.0, and 12.0 mg/kg) on risk assessment behaviors evoked by a novel odor were investigated. Both the frequency and duration of flatback approaches and stretch attends were strongly suppressed at the highest CDP dose. It is suggested that CDP alters normal olfactory function only at doses that attenuate offensive attack, but that CDP-induced reductions in defensive behaviors, seen at lower doses, are probably not importantly mediated by disrupted olfaction.

A variety of novel odors increase both risk assessment and defensive behaviors and inhibit offensive attack among male mice. In this experiment, the effects of a novel mammalian (wool) and nonmammalian (chocolate) odor on maternal aggression were examined. Both novel odors produced a mild suppression of lunge attacks. In addition, the chocolate odor reduced boxing behavior and the wool odor increased grooming. Neither odor altered other social behaviors. The results are consistent with previous data insuggesting that odor novelty evokes fear-motivated defensiveness and inhibits attack. These effects appear to be somewhat weaker than those seen among male mice, however.The odors of a potential predator (cat) evoke a number of species-typical defensive behaviors in rats (e.g ., stretched attention, flatback approach) , which have been characterized as risk assessment (R.