ABSTRACT
Two experiments investigated habituation in painted turtles (Chrysemys picta). In the first, turtles were given lesions of the dorsal cortex or sham lesions and then trained on a restraint. Although the sham-lesioned turtles learned to tolerate the restraint, the lesioned animals continued to struggle against it. Thus dorsal cortex lesions disrupted habituation to restraint. In order to test habituation to a looming stimulus in a second experiment, all animals were habituated to the restraint before surgery. Postoperatively they continued to be habituated to the restraint. The looming stimulus was a circular shadow that enlarged suddenly on a screen in front of the turtle. It was presented 5 times per day for 15 days. Between-day or long-term habituation was impaired by dorsal cortex lesions.
