ABSTRACT
The behaviour of Rattus is often studied for its possible significance in other fields. Much of the work on laboratory rats is partly motivated and endowed for its putative value to human psychology. Knowledge of exploratory behaviour, or of the effects of reward and punishment in learning, could conceivably have implications for the upbringing and education of children. Study of abnormal behaviour might contribute to understanding of human psychopathology. Bertrand Russell once suggested that all careful observations of animal behaviour confirm the philosophy of the observer and reflect his national character. The techniques of observation, experiment and communication used in the study of behaviour have been developed in the quest for reliable methods for answering specific questions rigorously stated. One of the notable features of behaviour in general is its lability: most animals, perhaps all, can alter their responses to a given class of stimuli in accordance with their experience of 'reward' or 'punishment'.
