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Passive Grouping Enhances Proto-Arithmetic Calculation for Leftward Correct Responses. Symmetry (Basel) 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/sym15030719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Baby chicks and other animals including human infants master simple arithmetic. They discriminate 2 vs. 3 (1 + 1 vs. 1 + 1 + 1) but fail with 3 vs. 4 (1 + 1 + 1 vs. 1 + 1 + 1 + 1). Performance is restored when elements are grouped as 2 + 1 vs. 2 + 2. Here, we address whether grouping could lead to asymmetric response bias. We recoded behavioural data from a previous study, in which separate groups of four-day-old domestic chicks underwent an arithmetic task: when the objects were presented one-by-one (1 + 1 + 1 vs. 1 + 1 + 1 + 1), chicks failed in locating the larger group irrespective of its position and did not show any side bias; Experiment 1. When the objects were presented as grouped (2 + 1 vs. 2 + 2), chicks succeeded, performing better when the larger set was on their left; Experiment 2. A similar leftward bias was also observed with harder discriminations (4 vs. 5: 3 + 1 vs. 3 + 2), with baby chicks succeeding in the task only when the larger set was on the left (Experiments 3 and 4). A previous study showed a rightward bias, with tasks enhancing individual processing. Despite a similar effect in boosting proto-arithmetic calculations, individual processing (eliciting a right bias) and grouping (eliciting a left bias) seem to depend on distinct cognitive mechanisms.
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Loconsole M, Regolin L, Rugani R. Asymmetric number-space association leads to more efficient processing of congruent information in domestic chicks. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1115662. [PMID: 36818607 PMCID: PMC9935666 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1115662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Loconsole
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy,Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Maria Loconsole ✉ ; ✉
| | - Lucia Regolin
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Rosa Rugani
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Yurt P, Calapai A, Mundry R, Treue S. Assessing cognitive flexibility in humans and rhesus macaques with visual motion and neutral distractors. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1047292. [PMID: 36605264 PMCID: PMC9807625 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1047292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cognitive flexibility is the ability of an individual to make behavioral adjustments in response to internal and/or external changes. While it has been reported in a wide variety of species, established paradigms to assess cognitive flexibility vary between humans and non-human animals, making systematic comparisons difficult to interpret. Methods We developed a computer-based paradigm to assess cognitive flexibility in humans and non-human primates. Our paradigm (1) uses a classical reversal learning structure in combination with a set-shifting approach (4 stimuli and 3 rules) to assess flexibility at various levels; (2) it employs the use of motion as one of three possible contextual rules; (3) it comprises elements that allow a foraging-like and random interaction, i.e., instances where the animals operate the task without following a strategy, to potentially minimize frustration in favor of a more positive engagement. Results and Discussion We show that motion can be used as a feature dimension (in addition to commonly used shape and color) to assess cognitive flexibility. Due to the way motion is processed in the primate brain, we argue that this dimension is an ideal candidate in situations where a non-binary rule set is needed and where participants might not be able to fully grasp other visual information of the stimulus (e.g., quantity in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test). All participants in our experiment flexibly shifted to and from motion-based rules as well as color- and shape-based rules, but did so with different proficiencies. Overall, we believe that with such approach it is possible to better characterize the evolution of cognitive flexibility in primates, as well as to develop more efficient tools to diagnose and treat various executive function deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinar Yurt
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, Germany,Georg-August University School of Science, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Antonino Calapai
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, Germany,LeibnizScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Goettingen, Germany,*Correspondence: Antonino Calapai,
| | - Roger Mundry
- LeibnizScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Goettingen, Germany,Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany,Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August University, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Treue
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, Germany,LeibnizScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Goettingen, Germany
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Degrande R, Cornilleau F, Lansade L, Jardat P, Colson V, Calandreau L. Domestic hens succeed at serial reversal learning and perceptual concept generalisation using a new automated touchscreen device. Animal 2022; 16:100607. [PMID: 35963029 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving the welfare of farm animals depends on our knowledge on how they perceive and interpret their environment; the latter depends on their cognitive abilities. Hence, limited knowledge of the range of cognitive abilities of farm animals is a major concern. An effective approach to explore the cognitive range of a species is to apply automated testing devices, which are still underdeveloped in farm animals. In screen-like studies, the uses of automated devices are few in domestic hens. We developed an original fully automated touchscreen device using digital computer-drawn colour pictures and independent sensible cells adapted for cognitive testing in domestic hens, enabling a wide range of test types from low to high complexity. This study aimed to test the efficiency of our device using two cognitive tests. We focused on tasks related to adaptive capacities to environmental variability, such as flexibility and generalisation capacities as this is a good start to approach more complex cognitive capacities. We implemented a serial reversal learning task, categorised as a simple cognitive test, and a delayed matching-to-sample (dMTS) task on an identity concept, followed by a generalisation test, categorised as more complex. In the serial reversal learning task, the hens performed equally for the two changing reward contingencies in only three reversal stages. In the dMTS task, the hens increased their performance rapidly throughout the training sessions. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, we present the first positive result of identity concept generalisation in a dMTS task in domestic hens. Our results provide additional information on the behavioural flexibility and concept understanding of domestic hens. They also support the idea that fully automated devices would improve knowledge of farm animals' cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Degrande
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC (Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements), F-37380 Nouzilly, Indre-et-Loire, France.
| | - Fabien Cornilleau
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC (Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements), F-37380 Nouzilly, Indre-et-Loire, France
| | - Léa Lansade
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC (Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements), F-37380 Nouzilly, Indre-et-Loire, France
| | - Plotine Jardat
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC (Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements), F-37380 Nouzilly, Indre-et-Loire, France
| | - Violaine Colson
- INRAE, LPGP (Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des Poissons), Campus de Beaulieu, F-35042 Rennes cedex, Ille-et-Vilaine, France
| | - Ludovic Calandreau
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC (Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements), F-37380 Nouzilly, Indre-et-Loire, France
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Loconsole M, Gasparini A, Regolin L. Pitch–Luminance Crossmodal Correspondence in the Baby Chick: An Investigation on Predisposed and Learned Processes. Vision (Basel) 2022; 6:vision6020024. [PMID: 35645378 PMCID: PMC9149823 DOI: 10.3390/vision6020024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Our senses are constantly reached by a multitude of stimuli from all different sensory modalities. To create a coherent representation of the environment, we must integrate the various unimodal inputs that refer to the same object into a single multimodal representation. In some cases, however, we tend to bind certain properties of the stimuli without any apparent reason, which is a phenomenon named crossmodal correspondence. For instance, we match a spiky or a rounded shape with the sound “Kiki” or “Bouba”, respectively. Similarly, we associate the left hemispace with low luminance and the right one with high luminance. Instances of crossmodal correspondences were described also in other mammals, and recently, a case of space-luminance crossmodal correspondence was reported in birds (i.e., domestic chicks). Here, we investigate the presence of pitch–luminance crossmodal correspondence in three-day-old chicks, employing experimental methods that exploit either predisposed or learned processes. While failing to report evidence for this phenomenon, we discuss the difference between statistical and structural crossmodal correspondences and the possible role of environmental factors in determining their emergence. Moreover, we discuss the importance of the different experimental methodologies to investigate distinct aspects of this perceptual phenomenon to reach a deeper understanding and unveil the role of innate vs. learned mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Loconsole
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.G.); (L.R.)
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Correspondence: or
| | - Andrea Gasparini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.G.); (L.R.)
| | - Lucia Regolin
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.G.); (L.R.)
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Xiao Q, Güntürkün O. The commissura anterior compensates asymmetries of visual representation in pigeons. Laterality 2021; 26:213-237. [PMID: 33622187 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2021.1889577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This study was undertaken to understand what is transferred between hemispheres through the commissura anterior during a colour discrimination task in pigeons. We transiently blocked neuronal activity of the arcopallium of one hemisphere to interrupt interhemispheric communication. Before and during this intervention, we recorded from arcopallial neurons of the non-anaesthetized side while the animals discriminated stimuli ipsilateral to the recorded neurons. Due to the complete crossover of optic nerves in birds, we assumed that these neurons were at least in part requiring information from the other hemisphere to properly run the task. While lidocaine injections in both hemispheres caused some performance reductions, deficits of right arcopallial neurons were much larger when blocking interhemispheric transfer. Our results make it likely that visual information is exchanged through the commissura anterior in an asymmetrical manner with the left hemisphere providing the other side more information about the right visual half-field than vice versa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Xiao
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Faculty of Psychology, Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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