The empathy assay is used to interrogate observational fear. Emotional empathy can be studied as a precursor to a fear response, arising from observing a subject experiencing an aversive stimulus.
- Speaker frequency: 100 to 40000 Hz
- Speaker intensity: 1 to 150 dB
- Replaceable acrylic plates with multiple contexts allow for contextual learning experiments
- Default plate patterns: gray, white, black, chessboard, vertical stripes
The novel environment tends to reduce the effect of the previous day’s fear conditioning during the 24 hours memory test. This apparatus comes with two key components; a double-chambered acrylic chamber with two-foot, shock-controlled grids, each of which can be controlled independently with the included conductor software. This apparatus is then placed inside of a standard, basic isolation chamber. Upgrades in this chamber include sound and light cues (please inquire for more information). The apparatus for the Empathy assay includes a sound-attenuating cubicle with a fan within which an observational fear-conditioning chamber is placed. The fear-conditioning chamber is composed of two chambers that are separated by a transparent Plexiglas divider. The chambers feature stainless steel rods placed parallel on the floor. A programmable, computer-controlled shocking system is also used to administer foot shocks. Two plates are included and both plates can be controlled separately.
Ordering information: Software package (see accessory option) is designed for use with the automated empathy assay as stand alone software.
