two way shuttlebox apparatus method passive avoidance test using a two-way shuttle box apparatus 2020-07-07T15:36:49Z MMO:0000725 Passive avoidance describes experiments in which the animal learns to avoid an aversive event by suppressing a particular behavior. To learn to do so, the aversive stimulus must be clearly associated with the active behavioral component. The passive avoidance task is be carried out in a shuttle box with a light chamber and a dark chamber separated by a doorway (the step-through version of the task). Given that illuminated environments are unpleasant to rodents, when placed in the light chamber, they are led into the preferred dark compartment by its innate photophobia. During habituation, they’re allowed to do so, but in the conditioning phase of the passive avoidance test, the animal will receive a foot shock when he crosses to the dark chamber. His innate behavior of seeking a darker environment will thereby become associated with an aversive stimulus. When placed again in the light chamber, the animal will avoid entering the dark, shock-associated chamber. measurement_method_ontology slaulede