Rats alternate on a dry-land but not swimming-pool (Morris task) place task: Implications for spatial processing

Groups of rats were rewarded with food for traveling from a start point to 2 different locations while their alternations in choice between those loca tions on 2 daily trials were recorded. In one experimental condition, the r ats swam and received food once they climbed upon a platform that was hidde n just below the surface of the water at the food location. In the other co ndition, the rats walked to reach the food. It was found that the rats did not alternate their choices between target locations when swimming but that they did alternate target choices when walking. Even experience in alterna ting when walking did not produce reliable alternation when swimming. It is proposed that rats treat escape (swimming) and search (walking) tasks in d ifferent ways, and this difference is discussed with respect to the possibi lity that different central processes may be used in the task solutions.