Diamond, M.C., Krech, D., & Rosenzweig, M.R. (1964). The Effects of an Enriched Environment on the Histology of the Rat Cerebral Cortex
Arhe Vaninetti
Research Methods and Statistics, PSY 301, Pacific University, Oregon
February 6, 2023
Diamond et al.’s (1964) study on cognitive enrichment processes was a simple yet groundbreaking study for both the study of psychology and for the development of animal welfare. Specifically regarding brain plasticity and habitat enrichment, Diamond et al. (1964) were able to conclude that the environment can shape the brain’s structure and capabilities. The inspiration for this study originated from the notion that animals raised in enriched environments were able to have increased cognitive capabilities, including improved learning and memory performance. Diamond et al. (1964) used randomized sampling from a University of California laboratory rat colony to select 11 pairs of male rats in the first experiment, and 9 pairs of male rats in the second experiment.