Olfactory conditioning of sexual behavior in the male rat (Rattus norvegicus)

The role of classical conditioning in the copulatory preferences of male Lo ng-Evans rats (Rattus norvegicus) was examined by pairing a neutral olfacto ry stimulus (almond odor) with female reproductive status. During training trials, the males were given access to scented or unscented females that we re either sexually receptive or unreceptive. Subsequently, copulatory prefe rences were tested in males given simultaneous access to 2 receptive female s, 1 scented and 1 not. Males trained with scented-receptive females displa yed an ejaculatory preference for the scented female. Males trained with sc ented-unreceptive females or with unscented-receptive females displayed an ejaculatory preference for the unscented female. Males displayed no prefere nce when scent and reproductive status were paired randomly. These results demonstrate that classical conditioning produces an ejaculatory preference.