<p>The study of rodent behavior is an important tool in neuroscience and psychopharmacology; however, traditional behavioral tests aimed at assessing so-called anxiety-like behavior have a number of methodological limitations. This review examines key issues related to the interpretation of the obtained parameters, the reproducibility of research results, and the standardization of experimental conditions. Experimental data on the role of the controlled introduction of variability (multicenter studies, use of rodents from different stocks) in increasing the external validity and reproducibility of results are discussed. Particular attention is paid to modern approaches to behavioral analysis, such as long-term monitoring in home cages, behavioral pattern profiling, and the use of multivariate statistical analysis methods to identify cryptic patterns. It is emphasized that the integration of complex behavioral data obtained in this way with physiological and molecular indicators can increase the translational significance of the models and contribute to a more precise understanding of the mechanisms studied using them.</p>