The aim of the present work was to study the effects of transient and prolonged uncontrollable stress on the behavior of animals with different types of stress reactions and social status. Transient stress (forced swimming for 5 min) led to suppression of movement activity in subordinate animals with the inactive type of stress reaction, while only one behavioral component of the stress reactions – grooming – appeared in active dominant animals. Exposure to prolonged uncontrollable stress (immobilization in tight cages for 4 h/day for five days) in active dominants, in contrast to inactive subordinates, produced signs of a depression-like state apparent as a significant decrease in body weight, increases in anhedonia and anxiety, decreases in movement and exploratory activity on day 5, and increases in pain thresholds compared with baseline. Subordinates with the inactive type of stress reactions showed stress reactions on day 5 of exposure consisting of decreases in movement and exploratory activity and increases in anxiety. Transient and prolonged uncontrollable stress had different actions on animals with different social status and behavioral strategies. These data may be useful for individual selection of appropriate antidepressants on the basis of psychophysiological characteristics.