Organization of sex-typical patterns of defense during food protection in the rat: The role of the opponent's sex

• Published in: Aggressive behavior Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 197 - 214
• Main Authors: Field, Evelyn F., Whishaw, Ian Q., Pellis, Sergio M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 1997; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Animal ethology; Biological and medical sciences; defensive movements; food protection; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; laboratory rats; Mammalia; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; sex differences; Vertebrata; Laboratory study; Intraspecific relation; Defensive behavior; Rodentia; Rattus norvegicus; Sex; Behavioral sequence; Feeding; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Diet; Social interaction; Body movement; Protection

Feeding rats defend a food item from an approaching conspecific by turning away, laterally, about 180°. Females and males use a different composition of movements and stepping patterns to perform these defensive dodges. This study was designed to examine the role of the robber's sex on the exec...