-
Escaping the Laboratory: The Rodent Experiments of John B. Calhoun & Their Cultural Influence
- Journal of Social History
- George Mason University Press
- Volume 42, Number 3, Spring 2009
- pp. 761-792
- 10.1353/jsh.0.0156
- Article
- Additional Information
- Purchase/rental options available:
In John B. Calhoun's early crowding experiments, rats were supplied with everything they needed—except space. The result was population boom, followed by such severe psychological disruption that the animals died off to extinction. The take-home message was that crowding resulted in pathological behavior—in rats and by extension in humans. For those pessimistic about Earth's "carrying capacity," the macabre spectacle of this "behavioral sink" was a compelling symbol of the problems awaiting overpopulation. Calhoun's work enjoyed considerable popular success. But cultural influence can run both ways. In this paper, we look at how the cultural impact of Calhoun's experiments resulted in a simpli-fied, popular version of his work coming to overshadow the more nuanced and positive message he wanted to spread, and how his professional reputation was affected by this popular "success."