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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
09:12
The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
PAIN-AGGRESSION TOWARD INANIMATE OBJECTS
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|May 1, 1964
Summary
Electric shock reliably triggers attack behavior in squirrel monkeys. The intensity of the shock directly correlates with the duration and likelihood of aggressive responses toward various targets.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Aggression can be studied through induced behaviors.
- Understanding the triggers of attack behavior is crucial in ethology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the elicitation of attack behavior in squirrel monkeys using electric shock.
- To quantify the relationship between shock intensity and attack responses.
Main Methods:
- Squirrel monkeys were subjected to externally applied electric shock.
- Attack behavior was observed towards conspecifics, rodents, and inanimate objects.
- A novel quantification method for attack behavior against inanimate objects was developed.
Main Results:
- Electric shock successfully elicited attack behavior.
- Attack responses were directed towards a range of targets, including other monkeys, rats, mice, and inanimate objects.
- Quantification revealed a direct relationship between shock intensity and the duration/probability of attack.
Conclusions:
- Electric shock is a potent elicitor of attack behavior in squirrel monkeys.
- The developed method provides a reliable way to measure shock-induced aggression.
- Shock intensity is a key determinant of the magnitude of elicited attack behavior.
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