Two Choice Social Decision Making Task
Dual-compartment operant system for investigating prosocial decision-making and social choice behavior in mice through controlled reward paradigms.
Louise Corscadden, PhD
Director of Science · ConductScience
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The Two Choice Social Decision Making Task is a specialized behavioral apparatus designed to assess prosocial decision-making and social cognition in mice. The system consists of two interconnected compartments separated by a metal mesh wall: an actor's compartment (standard operant chamber, 24 × 20 × 18.5 cm) housing the decision-making mouse, and a triangular recipient's compartment (18 × 14 × 18.5 cm) for the cage mate or experimental partner.
The apparatus enables controlled investigation of social choice behavior through operant conditioning protocols. The actor mouse interacts with two nose-poke holes, with responses determining food reward delivery to both compartments or only to the actor's compartment. The 1 cm diameter mesh holes facilitate social exploration and nose-to-nose contact while maintaining physical separation. Testing protocols support various experimental conditions including cagemate presence, empty recipient compartments, or inanimate object controls across 5-day testing periods with 40-120 minute sessions.
How It Works
The apparatus operates on operant conditioning principles to measure social decision-making behavior. The actor mouse learns to associate nose-poke responses with food reward delivery through fixed-ratio schedules ranging from FR1 to FR8. Critical to the paradigm is the choice between two response options: one that delivers food rewards to both the actor and recipient (prosocial choice), and another that provides rewards only to the actor (selfish choice).
The metal mesh separation wall enables social interaction while preventing direct physical contact or reward sharing. The 1 cm diameter mesh holes allow for visual, olfactory, and limited tactile communication, permitting the actor to perceive the recipient's presence and behavioral responses to reward delivery. This design ensures that prosocial choices reflect genuine social motivation rather than direct reciprocal benefit.
Behavioral responses are quantified through automated detection of nose-poke entries, with 5-second intervals between consecutive responses preventing rapid, non-deliberate responding. The triangular recipient compartment design optimizes space utilization while providing clear visual access for the actor mouse to observe recipient behavior and food consumption.
Features & Benefits
recipient_compartment_dimensions
- 18 cm L x 14 cm W x 18.5 cm H
actor_compartment_dimensions
- 24 cm L x 20 cm W x 18.5 cm H
recipient_compartment_shape
- triangle-shaped chamber
mesh_hole_diameter
- 1 cm
lighting_conditions
- 6 ± 1 lux
session_duration_standard
- 40 minutes
session_duration_extended
- 120 minutes
testing_period
- 5 days
interval_between_responses
- 5 seconds
nose_poke_holes
- 2
fixed_ratio_schedule_range
- FR1 to FR8
test_conditions
- With recipient (cagemate), No recipient (empty compartment), With a toy (inanimate object)
Behavioral Construct
- prosocial behavior
- social decision-making
- behavioral economics
- social cognition
- empathy
- reciprocity
- social motivation
Automation Level
- semi-automated
Material
- metal mesh
Species
- Mouse
Research Domain
- Addiction Research
- Anxiety and Depression
- Behavioral Pharmacology
- Learning and Memory
- Neuroscience
- Social Behavior
Compatible Tracking Software
- ConductVision
Weight
- 21.0 kg
Dimensions
- L: 43.2 mm
- W: 38.0 mm
- H: 27.9 mm
| Feature | This Product | Typical Alternative | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compartment Configuration | Dual-compartment system with triangular recipient chamber and standard operant actor compartment | Standard parallel rectangular chambers or single-compartment designs | Triangular geometry optimizes visual interaction while the operant chamber maintains familiar response environment for reliable behavioral measurement. |
| Mesh Separation Design | Metal mesh wall with precisely sized 1 cm diameter holes | Solid barriers with viewing windows or larger mesh openings | Controlled hole diameter enables natural social exploration while preventing food sharing that could confound reward-based decision measurements. |
| Session Duration Flexibility | 40-120 minute session duration range | Fixed session lengths typically limited to standard operant testing periods | Extended duration capability accommodates pharmacological studies and comprehensive social behavior characterization requiring longer observation periods. |
| Response Interval Control | 5-second mandatory inter-response interval | Varies by system, often shorter or no enforced intervals | Prevents impulsive responding and ensures deliberate decision-making critical for accurate social choice behavior assessment. |
| Testing Condition Versatility | Three distinct conditions: cagemate, empty compartment, inanimate object | Limited to social versus non-social comparisons | Multiple control conditions enable comprehensive dissection of social motivation versus environmental stimulus effects on choice behavior. |
| Fixed-Ratio Schedule Range | FR1 to FR8 schedule compatibility | Often limited to simpler schedule requirements | Progressive training capability enables systematic motivation assessment and complex operant protocol development for advanced behavioral analysis. |
This apparatus provides a specialized solution for prosocial behavior assessment through its unique dual-compartment design with controlled mesh separation. The system's flexibility in session duration, multiple control conditions, and comprehensive operant schedule support makes it particularly suitable for complex social neuroscience and behavioral pharmacology investigations.
Practical Tips
Verify nose-poke sensor sensitivity daily before sessions to ensure consistent response detection across experimental days.
Why: Sensor drift can lead to inconsistent response registration affecting behavioral data quality and experimental reliability.
Clean food magazines and mesh separation wall between subjects using appropriate disinfectant to prevent odor contamination.
Why: Residual food odors or previous subject scents can influence social behavior responses and confound experimental results.
Habituate subjects to the apparatus for 2-3 sessions before beginning formal testing protocols to minimize novelty effects.
Why: Initial exploration behavior can mask genuine social decision-making patterns during early exposure to the apparatus.
Use familiar cagemates as recipients during initial training to establish baseline prosocial response patterns.
Why: Established social relationships provide optimal conditions for detecting genuine prosocial motivation versus generalized reward-seeking behavior.
If subjects show response bias toward one nose-poke hole, counterbalance prosocial/selfish assignments across experimental phases.
Why: Position preferences can confound interpretation of social choice data if not systematically controlled across testing conditions.
Monitor recipient behavior during sessions to ensure active engagement with delivered food rewards as validation of social salience.
Why: Inactive recipients may not provide meaningful social feedback, reducing the actor's motivation for prosocial responding.
Inspect mesh wall integrity before each session to prevent potential injury from damaged edges or protruding metal fragments.
Why: Compromised mesh structure poses injury risk during social interaction attempts and can alter normal exploratory behavior patterns.
Setup Guide
What’s in the Box
- Actor's compartment (operant chamber) with two nose-poke holes
- Triangular recipient compartment with food magazine
- Metal mesh separation wall with 1 cm diameter holes
- Food dispensers for both compartments (typical)
- Mounting hardware and assembly instructions (typical)
- User manual with protocol guidelines (typical)
Warranty
ConductScience provides a standard one-year manufacturer warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship, with technical support for setup and protocol optimization.
Compliance
References
Background reading relevant to this product:
What fixed-ratio schedules are supported for operant training protocols?
The system supports fixed-ratio schedules from FR1 to FR8, enabling progressive training from simple continuous reinforcement to more demanding response requirements for motivation assessment.
How does the mesh separation ensure experimental control while permitting social interaction?
The metal mesh wall features 1 cm diameter holes that allow visual, olfactory, and limited tactile contact for social exploration while preventing direct food sharing or physical interference with operant responses.
What session durations are recommended for different experimental phases?
Standard sessions run 40 minutes for routine behavioral assessment, with extended 120-minute sessions available for comprehensive social behavior characterization or pharmacological studies requiring longer observation periods.
Can the apparatus accommodate different recipient conditions for control experiments?
Yes, the system supports three testing conditions: familiar cagemate presence, empty recipient compartment, and inanimate object placement to control for social versus non-social environmental factors.
What video tracking software integrations are available for detailed behavioral analysis?
The apparatus is compatible with major tracking platforms including ConductVision, Noldus EthoVision, and ANY-Maze for simultaneous operant response recording and spatial movement analysis.
How is lighting optimized for both behavioral testing and video tracking?
Testing occurs under controlled 6 ± 1 lux conditions that maintain natural mouse behavior while providing sufficient illumination for reliable video tracking and automated response detection.
What inter-response interval prevents rapid, non-deliberate nose-poking?
A mandatory 5-second interval between consecutive responses ensures deliberate decision-making during choice trials and prevents impulsive responding that could confound social choice measurements.
How does the triangular recipient compartment design benefit experimental observation?
The triangular geometry maximizes visual access for actor subjects to observe recipient behavior and food consumption while optimizing space efficiency in multi-chamber experimental setups.
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