Spontaneous alternation

Spontaneous Alternation Behavior (SAB) describes the tendency to alternate in the pursuit of different stimuli in consecutive trials, despite a lack of training or reinforcement.[1][2] The behavior emerged from experiments using animals, mainly rodents, who naturally demonstrated the behavioral pattern when placed in previously unexplored maze shapes (e.g. using a T/Y-maze).[2][3]

Spontaneous alternation testing is a behavioral assessment method derived from SAB. It is used to investigate exploratory behavior[4] and cognitive function (related to spatial learning and memory).[4][5] These assessments are most often done with non-human animals. The test serves great purpose in comparative psychology,[6] wherein non-human animals are studied to investigate differences within and between species with the aims of applying their findings to a greater understanding of human behavior.[7] It is particularly useful in studying the potential neuroanatomical and neurobiological mediators of cognitive function,[8] seeing that there are ethical limitations posed in the physiological study of humans, there is greater opportunity for more invasive procedures to be ethically conducted on non-human animals.

  1. ^ d'Isa, R.; Comi, G.; Leocani, L. (2021). "Apparatus design and behavioural testing protocol for the evaluation of spatial working memory in mice through the spontaneous alternation T-maze". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 21177. Bibcode:2021NatSR..1121177D. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-00402-7. PMC 8551159. PMID 34707108.
  2. ^ a b Dember, W. N., & Richman, C. L. (2012). Spontaneous Atlernation Behaviour. Springer.
  3. ^ Dennis, W. (1935). A Comparison of the Rat's First and Second Explorations of a Maze Unit. The American Journal of Psychology, 47(3), 488. doi:10.2307/1416343
  4. ^ a b T Maze Spontaneous Alternation. (n.d.). [TLD]. Stanford Medicine. Retrieved 22 March 2020
  5. ^ Wolf, A., Bauer, B., Abner, E. L., Ashkenazy-Frolinger, T., & Hartz, A. M. S. (2016). A Comprehensive Behavioral Test Battery to Assess Learning and Memory in 129S6/Tg2576 Mice. PLoS One, 11(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0147733
  6. ^ The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2020). Comparative psychology. In Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.
  7. ^ Domjan, M. (1987). Comparative Psychology and the Study of Animal Learning. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 101(3), 237–241. doi:10.1037/0735-7036.101.3.237
  8. ^ Richman, C. L., Dember, W. N., & Kim, P. (1986). Spontaneous Alternation Behavior in Animals: A Review. Current Psychological Research & Reviews, 5, 358–391. doi:10.1007/BF02686603