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Macedo-Lima M, Fernández-Vargas M, Remage-Healey L. Social reinforcement guides operant behaviour and auditory learning in a songbird. Anim Behav 2024; 210:127-137. [PMID: 38505105 PMCID: PMC10947183 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Motivation to seek social interactions is inherent to all social species. For instance, even with risk of disease transmission in a recent pandemic, humans sought out frequent in-person social interactions. In other social animals, socialization can be prioritized even over water or food consumption. Zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, are highly gregarious songbirds widely used in behavioural and physiological research. Songbirds, like humans, are vocal learners during development, which rely on intense auditory learning. Aside from supporting song learning, auditory learning further supports individual identification, mate choice and outcome associations in songbirds. To study auditory learning in a laboratory setting, studies often employ operant paradigms with food restriction and reinforcement and require complete social isolation, which can result in stress and other unintended physiological consequences for social species. Thus, in this work, we designed an operant behavioural method leveraging the sociality of zebra finches for goal-directed behaviours. Our approach relies on visual social reinforcement, without depriving the animals of food or social contact. Using this task, we found that visual social reinforcement was a strong motivational drive for operant behaviour. Motivation was sensitive to familiarity towards the stimulus animal and higher when engaging with a familiar versus a novel individual. We further show that this tool can be used to assess auditory discrimination learning using either songs or synthetic pure tones as stimuli. As birds gained experience in the task, they developed a strategy to maximize reward acquisition in spite of receiving more punishment, i.e. liberal response bias. Our operant paradigm provides an alternative to tasks using food reinforcement and could be applied to a variety of highly social species, such as rodents and nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Macedo-Lima
- Matheus Macedo-Lima is now at the Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, U.S.A
| | - Marcela Fernández-Vargas
- Marcela Fernández-Vargas is now at the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, U.S.A
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Corresponding author. (L. Remage-Healey)., @HealeyLab, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA, U.S.A.
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2
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Bales KL, Ardekani CS, Baxter A, Karaskiewicz CL, Kuske JX, Lau AR, Savidge LE, Sayler KR, Witczak LR. What is a pair bond? Horm Behav 2021; 136:105062. [PMID: 34601430 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Pair bonding is a psychological construct that we attempt to operationalize via behavioral and physiological measurements. Yet, pair bonding has been both defined differently in various taxonomic groups as well as used loosely to describe not just a psychological and affective phenomenon, but also a social structure or mating system (either social monogamy or just pair living). In this review, we ask the questions: What has been the historical definition of a pair bond? Has this definition differed across taxonomic groups? What behavioral evidence do we see of pair bonding in these groups? Does this observed evidence alter the definition of pair bonding? Does the observed neurobiology underlying these behaviors affect this definition as well? And finally, what are the upcoming directions in which the study of pair bonding needs to head?
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America.
| | - Cory S Ardekani
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America
| | - Alexander Baxter
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
| | - Chloe L Karaskiewicz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
| | - Jace X Kuske
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America
| | - Allison R Lau
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
| | - Logan E Savidge
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
| | - Kristina R Sayler
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, United States of America
| | - Lynea R Witczak
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, United States of America; California National Primate Research Center, United States of America
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3
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Prior NH, Smith E, Dooling RJ, Ball GF. Monogamy in a Moment: How do Brief Social Interactions Change Over Time in Pair-Bonded Zebra Finches ( Taeniopygia guttata)? Integr Org Biol 2021; 2:obaa034. [PMID: 33791572 PMCID: PMC7810576 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on monogamy has largely focused on marked behaviors that are unique to pair bonded partners. However, these marked behaviors represent only a subset of the pair-directed behaviors that partners engage in; the influence of pair bonding on mundane or subtle social interactions among partners remains largely unknown. In this study, we describe the changes that occur during brief social reunions (or greets) over the course of pair bonding in zebra finches. We quantified pair-directed behavior during 5-min reunions from three stages of pair bonding: initial pairing (between 4 and 72 h), early pairing (1–2 weeks), and late pairing (>1 month). These social interactions were operationalized in multiple ways. First, we quantified the overall activity levels (call and movement rates) for both the male and female. Overall, females were more active than males, but for both males and females calling activity was highest at initial pairing. We quantified behavioral coordination between partners in two ways: (1) similarity in call and movement rates between partners and (2) temporal synchrony of calls and movements between partners (via sliding correlation coefficients of time-stamped calls and movements). Overall, there were no effects of pairing stage on behavioral coordination. Finally, we used principal component analyses to disentangle behavioral coordination from the activity levels of the male and female. These results contribute to a growing line of evidence that male and female zebra finches differentially contribute to social dynamics and highlight the influence of pair bonding on the development of social dynamics. Furthermore, our preliminary analyses raise the hypothesis that behavioral coordination during the earliest phases of pairing is modulated by the extent and nature of prior experience. Overall, while behavioral coordination is clearly important for many salient interactions such as duetting, courtship displays, and biparental care, the significance of mundane social interactions for monogamous partnerships remains largely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H Prior
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Edward Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Robert J Dooling
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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4
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Prior NH. What's in a Moment: What Can Be Learned About Pair Bonding From Studying Moment-To-Moment Behavioral Synchrony Between Partners? Front Psychol 2020; 11:1370. [PMID: 32848962 PMCID: PMC7417665 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the behavioral and physiological mechanisms of monogamy largely comes from studies of behavioral interactions unique to pair-bonded individuals. By focusing on these highly marked behaviors, a remarkable conservation in the mechanisms underlying pair bonding has been revealed; however, we continue to know very little about the range of behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms that could explain the great diversity of pair-bonding phenotypes that exists both within and across species. In order to capture the dynamic nature of bonds over time and across contexts, we need specific, operationally-defined behavioral variables relevant across such a diversity of scenarios. Additionally, we need to be able to situate these behavioral variables within broader frameworks that allow us to interpret and compare patterns seen across species. Here I review what is known about behavioral synchrony with respect to pair bonding and discuss using synchrony as such a variable as well as a framework to expand on our understanding of pair bonding across timescales, contexts and species. First, I discuss the importance of behavioral synchrony and parental coordination for reproductive success in monogamous biparental bird species. Second, I highlight research documenting the critical importance of interpersonal coordination for human social relationships. Finally, I present recent work that experimentally bridges these lines of research by quantifying moment-to-moment behavioral synchrony during brief social interactions in zebra finch dyads. All together, these distinct perspectives support the notion that synchrony (1) is a shared premise for sociality across species, (2) is deeply shaped by social experiences, and (3) exists across timescales, behaviors, and levels of physiology. Conceptualizing pair bonding through the framework of behavioral synchrony is likely to facilitate a deeper understanding of the nuances of how social experiences and interactions impact the brain and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H. Prior
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
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5
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Adkins-Regan E. Sexual and pairing partner preference in birds and other animals. Horm Behav 2020; 118:104646. [PMID: 31778718 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Research on hormonal involvement in animals' preferences for mating or pairing with same- or other-sex partners has been among the topics featured in Hormones and Behavior over the years. In several species of non-pair-forming mammals, there is good evidence that the early sex steroid environment has an organizational effect on later sexual partner preference. Research with zebra finches, a pair-forming species, shows a likely early estrogenic organizational hormone effect on pairing partner preference, an effect that can also interact with the early social environment to determine adult pairing preference. Experiments with two amphibian and fish species suggest that activational hormone effects (effects of the hormone milieu in adulthood) may regulate sexual partner preference. As a complement to the research on hormonal involvement, a growing body of theoretical and empirical research addresses the possible adaptive functions of the same-sex sexual and pairing behavior observed in many wild animals. Such advances have important implications for conceptualizing neuroendocrine mechanisms of partner preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Adkins-Regan
- Department of Psychology and Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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Morales Picard A, Mundry R, Auersperg AM, Boeving ER, Boucherie PH, Bugnyar T, Dufour V, Emery NJ, Federspiel IG, Gajdon GK, Guéry J, Hegedič M, Horn L, Kavanagh E, Lambert ML, Massen JJM, Rodrigues MA, Schiestl M, Schwing R, Szabo B, Taylor AH, Horik JO, Bayern AMP, Seed A, Slocombe KE. Why preen others? Predictors of allopreening in parrots and corvids and comparisons to grooming in great apes. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Roger Mundry
- Messerli Research Institute University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Medical University Vienna University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Platform Bioinformatics and Biostatistics University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Alice M. Auersperg
- Messerli Research Institute University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Medical University Vienna University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Emily R. Boeving
- Department of Psychology Florida International University Miami FL USA
| | - Palmyre H. Boucherie
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien University of Strasbourg Strasbourg France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7178 Strasbourg France
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Valérie Dufour
- UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements INRA‐CNRS Université de Tours‐IFCE Nouzilly France
| | - Nathan J. Emery
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Ira G. Federspiel
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Gyula K. Gajdon
- Messerli Research Institute University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Medical University Vienna University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | | | - Matjaž Hegedič
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Lisa Horn
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | | | - Megan L. Lambert
- Department of Psychology University of York York UK
- Messerli Research Institute University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Medical University Vienna University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Jorg J. M. Massen
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Animal Ecology Group Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Michelle A. Rodrigues
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology University of Illinois Urbana IL USA
| | - Martina Schiestl
- School of Psychology University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Raoul Schwing
- Messerli Research Institute University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Medical University Vienna University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Birgit Szabo
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney Australia
| | - Alex H. Taylor
- School of Psychology University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Jayden O. Horik
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology University of Exeter Exeter UK
| | | | - Amanda Seed
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
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Prior NH, Smith E, Dooling RJ, Ball GF. Familiarity enhances moment-to-moment behavioral coordination in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) dyads. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 134:135-148. [PMID: 31647250 DOI: 10.1037/com0000201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
An individual's ability to respond to and align with the behavior of others is a fundamental component of social behavior. Zebra finches form lifelong monogamous pair bonds; however, zebra finches are also gregarious and can form strong social bonds with same-sex conspecifics. Here, we quantified behavior during brief 10-min reunions for males and females in five types of social conditions: monogamously bonded opposite-sex partners, familiar same-sex, familiar opposite-sex, novel same-sex, and novel opposite-sex dyads. We analyzed these interactions in three ways. First, we quantified overall activity levels (call and movement rates) for each individual. Second, we measured how coordinated calls and movements were by calculating (a) the percent difference in activity rates as an estimate of how similar calling and movement activity were between individuals within a dyad, and (b) the sliding correlation coefficients for time-stamped calls and movements for each dyad. Finally, we described multimodal behavioral profiles of coordination using principal component analyses. Overall, females were more active than males. For both females and males, activity levels as well as the coordination of calls and movements were significantly affected by social condition. In general, monogamous partners, female familiar same-sex dyads and familiar opposite-sex dyads were the most coordinated. This effect of familiarity shows that moment-to-moment behavioral coordination can be influenced by prior social experiences. Quantifying patterns of coordination or social synchrony may prove valuable for understanding the effects of social experience on brain and behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Regaiolli B, Sandri C, Rose PE, Vallarin V, Spiezio C. Investigating parental care behaviour in same-sex pairing of zoo greater flamingo ( Phoenicopterus roseus). PeerJ 2018; 6:e5227. [PMID: 30042888 PMCID: PMC6054785 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Same-sex pair bonds have been documented in several animal species and they are widespread in birds. However, little is known about the evolutionary origin and the adaptive value of such behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate the parental behaviour of four zoo female greater flamingos involved in two breeding pairs, housed in a flock at Parco Natura Viva, Italy. Further, the behaviour of the study females was compared with that of male and female flamingos in heterosexual pairs described in a previous published work on this same flock. For each pair, the behaviour of both birds during the incubation period was recorded and twenty 10-minute sessions were run within the incubation period. A continuous focal animal sampling method was used to collect data on location (on the nest or not on the nest) and the parental care behaviour (e.g.: agonistic behaviours toward disturbing conspecifics, egg-care, nest-building, self-comfort behaviour, sleeping) of the two pairs. Data of the current study females were compared with those of females and males involved in heterosexual pairs of this same flock. Results showed that within each pair the egg-layer female stayed away from the nest more than the other female. In addition, the female that did not lay an egg was more involved in agonistic behaviour compared to other females, particularly when in specific locations. In heterosexual pairs, male flamingos were more involved in the incubation and in nest protection. Moreover, no significant differences in the time spent on the nest and away from the nest between the heterosexual male and the non-layer females of same-sex pairs were found. The same findings were reported when comparing heterosexual females and the egg-layer females of the same-sex pairs. Therefore, our findings suggest that in greater flamingos the behaviour of the female–female pairs seems to be equivalent to that of male-female bonds. Such research provides more insight into flamingo social behaviour, and their reproductive cycle, and provides information on why pair bonds may form and how these affect the wider breeding behaviour of the flock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Regaiolli
- Research & Conservation Department, Parco Natura Viva-Garda Zoological Park, Verona, Italy
| | - Camillo Sandri
- Department of Animal Health Care and Management, Parco Natura Viva-Garda Zoological Park, Verona, Italy
| | - Paul E Rose
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | | | - Caterina Spiezio
- Research & Conservation Department, Parco Natura Viva-Garda Zoological Park, Verona, Italy
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Madison FN, Kesner AJ, Alward BA, Ball GF. Sex differences in hippocampal mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in response to acute mate pair separation in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Hippocampus 2018; 28:698-706. [PMID: 29663559 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Mate separation has been shown to mediate changes in physiological and behavioral processes via activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in both mammalian and avian species. To elucidate the neural mechanisms associated with changes in the HPA axis in response to social stress, we investigated the effects of mate pair separation on circulating corticosterone concentrations as well as gene expression levels of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of both male and female zebra finches, a species that forms strong pair bonds. Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were housed three to a cage (a mated pair plus a stimulus female), and were assigned to one of three new housing treatment groups: (1) male or female removed from their respective mate and placed in a cage with a new opposite sex conspecific and stimulus female (2) male or female that remained with their mate, but a new stimulus female was introduced, or (3) the subjects were handled but not separated from their mate or the stimulus female. After 48 hr in the new housing condition, we observed significant increases in plasma corticosterone concentrations in response to both mate pair and stimulus female separation. No significant differences in MR, GR, or CRH mRNA expression in the hypothalamus were observed in response to any treatment for both males and females. Females exhibited a significant up regulation in hippocampal MR, but not GR mRNA, whereas males exhibited a significant down regulation of both hippocampal MR and GR mRNA in response to mate pair separation. Thus, the hippocampus appears to play a key role in regulating sex specific responses to social stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farrah N Madison
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218.,Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
| | - Andrew J Kesner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Beau A Alward
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218.,Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
| | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218.,Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
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Remage-Healey L, Krentzel AA, Macedo-Lima M, Vahaba D. Species Diversity Matters in Biological Research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/2372732217719908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Species diversity in experimental neuroscience research provides a vital resource. Addressing contemporary questions using nontraditional model systems (i.e., studies of species other than rats or mice) have regularly led to serendipitous breakthroughs in this discipline. The “comparative” approach to neuroscience and neuroendocrinology harnesses the diversity of organisms—and their nervous systems—that have been refined and differentiated over evolutionary timescales. Here, we review some recent examples of unexpected and impactful outcomes resulting from research on nontraditional study species. This work shows that maintaining broad diversity in study species will continue to provide the best path forward for extraordinary advances and insights into the neural mechanisms of behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matheus Macedo-Lima
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
- CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Distrito Federal, Brazil
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11
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Adkins-Regan E. A Bird's Eye View. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:1593-1594. [PMID: 28493153 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-0998-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Adkins-Regan
- Department of Psychology, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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