ABSTRACT
41A number of studies investigating early developmental determinants of aggression in the mouse and the rat have been carried out since 1963 at our laboratories at Purdue University and at the University of Connecticut. When we began this research we were not interested in the analysis of aggression per se: instead, we were manipulating early social variables in the mice. Since fighting is one of the species-specific characteristics of the mouse, it seemed appropriate to use aggression as one of our endpoints. In other words, our major interest was upon early social experiences rather than upon aggression. However, our initial studies produced such exciting findings that we began a program of research concentrating upon developmental determinants of aggression.
