Guidelines for the Development of Practices with Experimental Subjects in the Laboratory of Learning and Animal Behavior

The purpose of the laboratory practice guide is, to provide a support tool to its users, thus recognizing learning as a process through which a subject or individual generates the acquisition, maintenance or increase of a behavior derived from first generation learning methods such as classical and operant conditioning. In this sense, the development of 13 laboratory practices is proposed, from which the student, laboratorian or teacher, assumes the role of experimenter. Initially, the basic aspects for the adequate handling of animals in experimentation processes are approached. After this, each designed practice allows the reinforcement of the basic concepts of the theory through the establishment of target behaviors in experimental subjects (Wistar rats) through which it is possible to emphasize the importance of each one of the concepts contemplated in comparative psychology. This practical guide also presents the guidelines for the development of scientific, conceptual, technical and ethical competencies necessary for the training of psychology students and future professionals in the behavioral sciences.