1
|
Abdai J, Miklósi Á. After 150 years of watching: is there a need for synthetic ethology? Anim Cogn 2023; 26:261-274. [PMID: 36445574 PMCID: PMC9877063 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01719-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The Darwinian idea of mental continuity is about 150 years old. Although nobody has strongly denied this evolutionary link, both conceptually and practically, relative slow advance has been made by ethology and comparative psychology to quantify mental evolution. Debates on the mechanistic interpretation of cognition often struggle with the same old issues (e.g., associationism vs cognitivism), and in general, experimental methods have made also relative slow progress since the introduction of the puzzle box. In this paper, we illustrate the prevailing issues using examples on 'mental state attribution' and 'perspective taking" and argue that the situation could be improved by the introduction of novel methodological inventions and insights. We suggest that focusing on problem-solving skills and constructing artificial agents that aim to correspond and interact with biological ones, may help to understand the functioning of the mind. We urge the establishment of a novel approach, synthetic ethology, in which researchers take on a practical stance and construct artificial embodied minds relying of specific computational architectures the performance of which can be compared directly to biological agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judit Abdai
- ELKH-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ádám Miklósi
- ELKH-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary ,Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Koster C, van den Hurk KT, Lewallen CF, Talib M, ten Brink JB, Boon CJF, Bergen AA. The Lrat -/- Rat: CRISPR/Cas9 Construction and Phenotyping of a New Animal Model for Retinitis Pigmentosa. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137234. [PMID: 34281288 PMCID: PMC8267968 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE We developed and phenotyped a pigmented knockout rat model for lecithin retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) using CRISPR/Cas9. The introduced mutation (c.12delA) is based on a patient group harboring a homologous homozygous frameshift mutation in the LRAT gene (c.12delC), causing a dysfunctional visual (retinoid) cycle. METHODS The introduced mutation was confirmed by DNA and RNA sequencing. The expression of Lrat was determined on both the RNA and protein level in wildtype and knockout animals using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The retinal structure and function, as well as the visual behavior of the Lrat-/- and control rats, were characterized using scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), optical coherence tomography (OCT), electroretinography (ERG) and vision-based behavioral assays. RESULTS Wildtype animals had high Lrat mRNA expression in multiple tissues, including the eye and liver. In contrast, hardly any expression was detected in Lrat-/- animals. LRAT protein was abundantly present in wildtype animals and absent in Lrat-/- animals. Lrat-/- animals showed progressively reduced ERG potentials compared to wildtype controls from two weeks of age onwards. Vison-based behavioral assays confirmed reduced vision. Structural abnormalities, such as overall retinal thinning, were observed in Lrat-/- animals. The retinal thickness in knockout rats was decreased to roughly 80% by four months of age. No functional or structural differences were observed between wildtype and heterozygote animals. CONCLUSIONS Our Lrat-/- rat is a new animal model for retinal dystrophy, especially for the LRAT-subtype of early-onset retinal dystrophies. This model has advantages over the existing mouse models and the RCS rat strain and can be used for translational studies of retinal dystrophies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Céline Koster
- Department of Human Genetics Amsterdam, Section of Ophthalmogenetics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC), University of Amsterdam (UvA), Location Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.K.); (K.T.v.d.H.); (J.B.t.B.)
| | - Koen T. van den Hurk
- Department of Human Genetics Amsterdam, Section of Ophthalmogenetics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC), University of Amsterdam (UvA), Location Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.K.); (K.T.v.d.H.); (J.B.t.B.)
| | - Colby F. Lewallen
- Georgia Institute of Technology, G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Atlanta, GA 30313, USA;
| | - Mays Talib
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.T.); (C.J.F.B.)
| | - Jacoline B. ten Brink
- Department of Human Genetics Amsterdam, Section of Ophthalmogenetics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC), University of Amsterdam (UvA), Location Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.K.); (K.T.v.d.H.); (J.B.t.B.)
| | - Camiel J. F. Boon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.T.); (C.J.F.B.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC), University of Amsterdam (UvA), Location Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arthur A. Bergen
- Department of Human Genetics Amsterdam, Section of Ophthalmogenetics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC), University of Amsterdam (UvA), Location Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (C.K.); (K.T.v.d.H.); (J.B.t.B.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC), University of Amsterdam (UvA), Location Meibergdreef, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW), 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Borgstede M. An evolutionary model of reinforcer value. Behav Processes 2020; 175:104109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
4
|
Sanabria F, Daniels CW, Gupta T, Santos C. A computational formulation of the behavior systems account of the temporal organization of motivated behavior. Behav Processes 2019; 169:103952. [PMID: 31543283 PMCID: PMC6907728 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The behavior systems framework suggests that motivated behavior-e.g., seeking food and mates, avoiding predators-consists of sequences of actions organized within nested behavioral states. This framework has bridged behavioral ecology and experimental psychology, providing key insights into critical behavioral processes. In particular, the behavior systems framework entails a particular organization of behavior over time. The present paper examines whether such organization emerges from a generic Markov process, where the current behavioral state determines the probability distribution of subsequent behavioral states. This proposition is developed as a systematic examination of increasingly complex Markov models, seeking a computational formulation that balances adherence to the behavior systems approach, parsimony, and conformity to data. As a result of this exercise, a nonstationary partially hidden Markov model is selected as a computational formulation of the predatory subsystem. It is noted that the temporal distribution of discrete responses may further unveil the structure and parameters of the model but, without proper mathematical modeling, these discrete responses may be misleading. Opportunities for further elaboration of the proposed computational formulation are identified, including developments in its architecture, extensions to defensive and reproductive subsystems, and methodological refinements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carter W Daniels
- Arizona State University, United States; Columbia University, United States
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bowers RI. Six clarifications for behaviour systems. Behav Processes 2019; 170:103987. [PMID: 31704306 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The precursors of contemporary behaviour systems theory were hotly debated, and yet a similar critical fervour has not followed the second generation of behaviour systems research. I raise six items of potential or extant misunderstanding concerning behaviour systems perspectives, and attempt to set straight some of the assumptions and what motivated them, with attention to historical and theoretical context. The six challenges in focus are: 1) variety of conceptualisation of consummation; 2) potential misapprehensions about the role of general search; 3) ambiguity of predictions concerning response form; 4) ambiguity concerning what aspects are modelled as hierarchical; 5) assumptions of directedness; and 6) the relevance of spontaneous activity. For each of these six issues, some clarification is offered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Ian Bowers
- Centro de Investigação em Psicologia, Universidade do Minho, room CE-1099, Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cabrera F, Jiménez ÁA, Covarrubias P. Timberlake’s behavior systems: A paradigm shift toward an ecological approach. Behav Processes 2019; 167:103892. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
7
|
Killeen PR. Timberlake’s theories dissolve anomalies. Behav Processes 2019; 166:103894. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
8
|
Nelson NL, Mondloch CJ. Children's perception of emotions in the context of live interactions: Eye movements and emotion judgements. Behav Processes 2019; 164:193-200. [PMID: 31075385 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Research examining children's understanding of emotional expressions has generally used static, isolated facial expressions presented in a non-interactive context. However, these tasks do not resemble children's experiences with expressions in daily life, where they must attend to a range of information, including others' facial expressions, movements, and the situation surrounding the expression. In this research, we examine the development of visual attention to another's emotional expressions during a live interaction. Via an eye-tracker, children (4-11 years old) and adults viewed an experimenter open a series of opaque boxes and make an expression (happiness, sadness, fear, or disgust) based on the object inside. Participants determined which of four possible objects (stickers, a broken toy, a spider, or dog poop) was in the box. We examined the proportion of the trial in which participants looked to three areas of the face (the eyes, mouth, and nose area), and the available contextual information (the box held by the experimenter, the four objects). Although children spent less time looking to the face than adults did, their pattern of visual attention within the face and to object AOIs did not differ from that of adults. Finally, for adults, increased accuracy was linked to spending less time looking to the objects whereas increased accuracy for children was not strongly linked to any emotion cue. These data indicate that although children spend less time looking to the face during live interactions than adults do, the proportion of time spent looking to areas of the face and context are generally adult-like.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Nelson
- Brock University, Department of Psychology, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, L2S3A1, St. Catharines, ON, United States; University of Queensland, School of Psychology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Catherine J Mondloch
- Brock University, Department of Psychology, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, L2S3A1, St. Catharines, ON, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Silva FJ. The puzzling persistence of “neutral” conditioned stimuli. Behav Processes 2018; 157:80-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
10
|
Reed P. Retention period differentially attenuates win-shift/lose-stay relative to win-stay/lose-shift performance in the rat. Learn Behav 2018; 46:60-66. [PMID: 28940120 PMCID: PMC5842276 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-017-0289-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Hungry rats were trained in a two-lever conditioning chamber to earn food reinforcement according to either a win-shift/lose-stay or a win-stay/lose-shift contingency. Performance on the two contingencies was similar when there was little delay between the initial, information part of the trial (i.e., win or lose) and the choice portion of the trial (i.e., stay or shift with respect to the lever presented in the information stage). However, when a delay between the information and choice portions of the trial was introduced, subjects experiencing the win-shift/lose-stay contingency performed worse than subjects experiencing the alternative contingency. In particular, the lose-stay rule was differentially negatively impacted relative to the other rules. This result is difficult for ecological or response interference accounts to explain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phil Reed
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abstract
Abstract
Behaviour systems theory had its beginnings with Nikolaas Tinbergen’s “hierarchical systems”, an aspect of his thinking and writing that he conspicuously left out of his very memorable 1963 manifesto. This starting point has since been developed within psychology, where it has provided numerous advances. Tinbergen’s aspiration for behaviour systems had been principled integration of ethology with physiology, but the bridge among sciences it ultimately provided led to psychology. To an ethology audience, this paper attempts to reintroduce behaviour systems as a part of Tinbergen’s legacy to make accessible the theoretical developments of behaviour systems theory that have occurred outside of ethology over the last several decades. To a psychology audience, the paper serves as a reminder of the ethological origins of behaviour systems. Both sciences and their integration stand to benefit from recognising this point of common heritage.
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
Rodents (especially Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus) have been the most widely used models in biomedical research for many years. A notable shift has taken place over the last two decades, with mice taking a more and more prominent role in biomedical science compared to rats. This shift was primarily instigated by the availability of a much larger genetic toolbox for mice, particularly embryonic-stem-cell-based targeting technology for gene disruption. With the recent emergence of tools for altering the rat genome, notably genome-editing technologies, the technological gap between the two organisms is closing, and it is becoming more important to consider the physiological, anatomical, biochemical and pharmacological differences between rats and mice when choosing the right model system for a specific biological question. The aim of this short review and accompanying poster is to highlight some of the most important differences, and to discuss their impact on studies of human diseases, with a special focus on neuropsychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bart Ellenbroek
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6041, New Zealand
| | - Jiun Youn
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6041, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hammack SE, Todd TP, Kocho-Schellenberg M, Bouton ME. Role of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the acquisition of contextual fear at long or short context-shock intervals. Behav Neurosci 2015; 129:673-8. [PMID: 26348716 PMCID: PMC4586907 DOI: 10.1037/bne0000088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Rats received N-methyl-D-aspartate lesions of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and then 10 aversive conditioning trials in which exposure to a context was paired with footshock. For half the animals, shock was presented 1 min after the onset of each context exposure; for the other half, shock was presented after 10 min. With the 1-min context duration, aversive conditioning (measured by freezing) was unaffected by BNST lesion. In contrast, at the 10-min duration, lesioned animals froze substantially less than sham controls. When 1-min-conditioned animals were left in the context for 10 min, freezing that was evident (though declining) throughout the test was not affected by the BNST lesion. When freezing over 10 min was similarly examined in the 10-min-conditioned animals, BNST lesions caused a deficit that was consistently evident over time. The results indicate that the BNST is involved in aversive conditioning to long-duration, but not merely contextual, conditional stimuli. Results may be less consistent with the view that BNST becomes activated after prolonged fear than the view that it is involved when a cue's onset has a remote temporal relation to shock.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Travis P Todd
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont
| | | | - Mark E Bouton
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Burke D. Why isn't everyone an evolutionary psychologist? Front Psychol 2014; 5:910. [PMID: 25221531 PMCID: PMC4145278 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite a widespread acceptance that the brain that underpins human psychology is the result of biological evolution, very few psychologists in any way incorporate an evolutionary perspective in their research or practice. There have been many attempts to convince mainstream psychology of the importance of such a perspective, mostly from those who identify with "Evolutionary Psychology," and there has certainly been progress in that direction, but the core of psychology remains essentially unevolutionary. Here I explore a number of potential reasons for mainstream psychology continuing to ignore or resist an evolutionary approach, and suggest some ways in which those of us interested in seeing an increase in the proportion of psychologists adopting an evolutionary perspective might need to modify our tactics to increase our chances of success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darren Burke
- Psychology, University of NewcastleOurimbah, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Parker CC, Chen H, Flagel SB, Geurts AM, Richards JB, Robinson TE, Solberg Woods LC, Palmer AA. Rats are the smart choice: Rationale for a renewed focus on rats in behavioral genetics. Neuropharmacology 2013; 76 Pt B:250-8. [PMID: 23791960 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2013] [Revised: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Due in part to their rich behavioral repertoire rats have been widely used in behavioral studies of drug abuse-related traits for decades. However, the mouse became the model of choice for researchers exploring the genetic underpinnings of addiction after the first mouse study was published demonstrating the capability of engineering the mouse genome through embryonic stem cell technology. The sequencing of the mouse genome and more recent re-sequencing of numerous inbred mouse strains have further cemented the status of mice as the premier mammalian organism for genetic studies. As a result, many of the behavioral paradigms initially developed and optimized for rats have been adapted to mice. However, numerous complex and interesting drug abuse-related behaviors that can be studied in rats are very difficult or impossible to adapt for use in mice, impeding the genetic dissection of those traits. Now, technological advances have removed many of the historical limitations of genetic studies in rats. For instance, the rat genome has been sequenced and many inbred rat strains are now being re-sequenced and outbred rat stocks are being used to fine-map QTLs. In addition, it is now possible to create "knockout" rats using zinc finger nucleases (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and related techniques. Thus, rats can now be used to perform quantitative genetic studies of sophisticated behaviors that have been difficult or impossible to study in mice. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'NIDA 40th Anniversary Issue'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa C Parker
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
|
17
|
Cabrera F, Sanabria F, Jiménez ÁA, Covarrubias P. An affordance analysis of unconditioned lever pressing in rats and hamsters. Behav Processes 2012; 92:36-46. [PMID: 23073500 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2012.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2012] [Revised: 09/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of lever height on lever pressing that was not explicitly reinforced - i.e., operant-level responding. Two rodent species were used as subjects, rats (Experiment 1) and hamsters (Experiment 2), aiming to compare the behavioral support offered by one lever at various heights relative to the subjects' body size. Results showed that lever height had a substantial effect on response rate. The rate of lever pressing varied similarly for rats and hamsters as a function of lever height, when lever height was re-scaled relative to body size. The distribution of inter-response times showed that lever pressing was organized in bouts separated by pauses. This pattern of responding was accurately described in both experiments by a mixture of two exponential distributions. These findings support an analysis of affordances in non-human species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Cabrera
- University of Guadalajara, Laboratory of Comparative Cognition and Behavior, CUCI, Av. Universidad 1115, CP 47820, Ocotlán, Jalisco, Mexico.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Abstract
We examined humans' tool selections on stick-and-tube tasks similar to those used to study crows' and other avian species' physical cognition. In Experiment 1, the participants selected a stick from a set of 10 to retrieve a candy placed in a horizontal tube. Although the stick that was selected depended on the distance to the candy, the participants generally did not select a stick whose length was the same as the candy's distance from the open end of the tube nor did they select the longest stick in the set-two strategies that have been reported in crows. In Experiments 2 and 3, we used variations of the stick-and-tube task to determine what factors in addition to the candy's distance influenced the participants' selections. The results showed that tool selection depended on the stimulus context (i.e., the number and lengths of the alternative tools).
Collapse
|
19
|
Pecoraro N, de Jong H, Dallman MF. An unexpected reduction in sucrose concentration activates the HPA axis on successive post shift days without attenuation by discriminative contextual stimuli. Physiol Behav 2008; 96:651-61. [PMID: 19162053 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2008] [Revised: 12/19/2008] [Accepted: 12/22/2008] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that the successive negative contrast procedure, in which food-restricted rats entrained to once daily, brief presentations of 32% sucrose are unexpectedly shifted to a 4% solution, results in an adrenocortical response on the second, but not the first postshift day. We attempted to generalize that finding in our own procedure. In Experiment 1, two groups of rats were given a 32% sucrose solution once daily in their home cages for 14 days before being shifted to a 4% solution. One group was killed 10 min after the first 4% solution and one was killed after the second 4% solution. In addition, two groups receiving either 32% or 4% sucrose throughout the experiment served as unshifted controls. In contrast to previous findings, both shifted groups exhibited prominent adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and adrenocortical (B) responses on both postshift days compared to unshifted controls, which did not differ from one another. Experiment 2a employed distinctive contexts to test if the lack of generality of the delayed HPA axis response was due to suppressive effects of S(+) on the first postshift day. Rats were given once daily 32% sucrose in S(+) and equal exposure time in S(-). Half of these rats were shifted to 4% sucrose in S(+) and half were shifted in S(-). These two groups were compared to home cage controls. Half of each group was killed after their first 4% sucrose, and half after the second 4% sucrose. All rats showed ACTH and B responses comparable to shifted rats in Experiment 1. S(+) failed to suppress the HPA axis, and the stress response was higher on the first compared to the second day of the shift. Experiment 2b established that distinctive contexts predicting sucrose, S(+), or not predicting sucrose, S(-), controlled behavioral choice and contextual discrimination. Thus, there was no evidence that issues of stimulus control could explain the lack of generality of previous findings. The data indicate that thwarting sucrose expectancies is stressful, and that this stress response habituates across days.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Norman Pecoraro
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, 415 Parnassus Ave., Box 0444, San Francisco, CA 94143 0444, United States.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Fernandez EJ, Timberlake W. Mutual benefits of research collaborations between zoos and academic institutions. Zoo Biol 2008; 27:470-87. [DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
21
|
Silva FJ, Page DM, Silva KM. Methodological-conceptual problems in the study of chimpanzees' folk physics: how studies with adult humans can help. Learn Behav 2005; 33:47-58. [PMID: 15971492 DOI: 10.3758/bf03196049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2004] [Accepted: 09/13/2004] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In three experiments, we examined humans' folk physics (i.e., a naturally occurring and spontaneous understanding of the physical world), using variations of problems used to study chimpanzees' folk physics. Presented with trap-tube problems in two experiments, adult humans showed an unnecessary bias to insert a stick into the end of the tube farthest from the reward to push it out the other end. When presented with trap-table problems with ineffective trapping holes, people unnecessarily avoided the side with the hole. The similarity of humans' and chimpanzees' behavior on these tasks highlights methodological and conceptual problems in studies of chimpanzees' folk physics and suggests alternative explanations for their behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Silva
- Department of Psychology, University of Redlands, P.O. Box 3080, 1200 East Colton Avenue, Redlands, CA 92373-0999, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Domjan M, Cusato B, Krause M. Learning with arbitrary versus ecological conditioned stimuli: Evidence from sexual conditioning. Psychon Bull Rev 2004; 11:232-46. [PMID: 15260188 DOI: 10.3758/bf03196565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Laboratory investigations of Pavlovian conditioning typically involve the association of an arbitrary conditioned stimulus (CS) with an unconditioned stimulus (US) that has no inherent relation to the CS. However, arbitrary CSs are unlikely to become conditioned outside the laboratory, because they do not occur often enough with the US to result in an association. Learning under natural circumstances is likely only if the CS has a preexisting relation to the US. Recent studies of sexual conditioning have shown that in contrast to an arbitrary CS, an ecologically relevant CS is resistant to blocking, extinction, and increases in the CS-US interval and results in sensitized responding and stronger second-order conditioning. Although the mechanisms of these effects are not fully understood, these findings have shown that signature learning phenomena are significantly altered when the kinds of stimuli that are likely to become conditioned under natural circumstances are used. The implications of these findings for an ecological approach to the study of learning are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Domjan
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
|
24
|
Timberlake W, Hoffman CM. How does the ecological foraging behavior of desert kangaroo rats (Dipodomys deserti) relate to their behavior on radial mazes? ANIMAL LEARNING & BEHAVIOR 2002; 30:342-54. [PMID: 12593326 DOI: 10.3758/bf03195959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Experiment 1 showed that laboratory-reared desert kangaroo rats, like domestic Norway rats, efficiently search for food on a radial arm maze (RAM) by avoiding revisiting arms within a trial. By placing an RAM on the floor so the animals could approach food from any direction, Experiment 2 tested whether efficient search by kangaroo rats was based on tactics of distance minimizing, central-place foraging, trail following, or meandering. In contrast to the dominant trail-following tactic of domestic Norway rats (Hoffman, Timberlake, Leffel, & Gont, 1999), kangaroo rats tended to distance minimize, whether maze arms were present or not. Experiment 3 indicated that kangaroo rats treated a floor configuration of eight food cups as two patches of four, based on beeline travel between patches and meandering within them. We conclude that similar performance in an elevated RAM by different species can be based on different tactics, and we suggest that a laboratory apparatus can be used to cast light on niche-related mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Timberlake
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University, 1101 E. 10th St., Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Timberlake W. Niche-related learning in laboratory paradigms: the case of maze behavior in Norway rats. Behav Brain Res 2002; 134:355-74. [PMID: 12191823 DOI: 10.1016/s0166-4328(02)00048-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The general hypothesis underlying this paper is that behavior in traditional paradigms of laboratory learning is based on niche-related mechanisms. The specific hypothesis is that the behavior of Norway rats in laboratory mazes is based on niche-related mechanisms related to trail following and navigating. I evaluate seven types of evidence for this hypothesis: (a) resemblance of maze behavior to behavior in unconstrained settings; (b) importance of experimenter tuning of apparatus and procedures; (c) overdetermination of laboratory behavior; (d) reverse-engineering of niche-related mechanisms from laboratory data; (e) prediction of laboratory results from ecological data; (f) contribution of specific relative to general mechanisms; and (g) phylogenetic conservation and ecologically-based convergence and divergence of maze mechanisms. I conclude there is strong evidence for the hypothesis that behavior of rats in laboratory mazes is based on niche-related mechanisms. I suggest that a niche-related approach to laboratory learning paradigms has conceptual generality and the potential to facilitate connections with the study of neurophysiology, genetics, and evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Timberlake
- Department of Psychology, Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Program in Neural Science, Indiana University, Psychology Building, 1101 E. Tenth Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-7007, USA.
| |
Collapse
|