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Forss S, Ciria A, Clark F, Galusca CL, Harrison D, Lee S. A transdisciplinary view on curiosity beyond linguistic humans: animals, infants, and artificial intelligence. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:979-998. [PMID: 38287201 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Curiosity is a core driver for life-long learning, problem-solving and decision-making. In a broad sense, curiosity is defined as the intrinsically motivated acquisition of novel information. Despite a decades-long history of curiosity research and the earliest human theories arising from studies of laboratory rodents, curiosity has mainly been considered in two camps: 'linguistic human' and 'other'. This is despite psychology being heritable, and there are many continuities in cognitive capacities across the animal kingdom. Boundary-pushing cross-disciplinary debates on curiosity are lacking, and the relative exclusion of pre-linguistic infants and non-human animals has led to a scientific impasse which more broadly impedes the development of artificially intelligent systems modelled on curiosity in natural agents. In this review, we synthesize literature across multiple disciplines that have studied curiosity in non-verbal systems. By highlighting how similar findings have been produced across the separate disciplines of animal behaviour, developmental psychology, neuroscience, and computational cognition, we discuss how this can be used to advance our understanding of curiosity. We propose, for the first time, how features of curiosity could be quantified and therefore studied more operationally across systems: across different species, developmental stages, and natural or artificial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Forss
- Collegium Helveticum, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich and Zurich University of the Arts, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alejandra Ciria
- School of Psychology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fay Clark
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Cristina-Loana Galusca
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition, CNRS Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - David Harrison
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Saein Lee
- Interdisciplinary Program of EcoCreative, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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2
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Delval I, Fernández-Bolaños M, Izar P. Towards an Integrated Concept of Personality in Human and Nonhuman Animals. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2024; 58:271-302. [PMID: 37059965 PMCID: PMC10104772 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-023-09759-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Every individual has an idiosyncratic way of feeling, thinking and behaving, which is relatively stable across time and situations. Usually known as Personality, today this phenomenon is recognized in many species, including arthropods, fish, avian or mammals. From an evolutionary perspective, research has shown that personality differences are manifest in distinctive forms of dealing with selective pressures, with consequences for fitness. Despite these facts, the study of personality in animals other than humans is relatively new. Only two decades ago, consistent behavioral individual differences were considered 'noise' around an optimal strategy for behavioral ecologists. Also, psychologists were not interested in animal personality as a consequence of the fear of anthropomorphization and the erroneous belief that humans are unique in nature. Fortunately, this misconception seems already overcome but there are still conceptual issues preventing a unified concept of personality. Throughout this review, we first explore the etymological origins of personality and other terminological issues. We further revise the historical course of the study of personality in humans and other animals, from the perspectives of Psychology and Behavioral Ecology, on the basis of the most used approach, the trait theory. We present the study of nonhuman primates as a paradigmatic example in between both frameworks. Finally, we discuss about the necessity of a unified science of personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Delval
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Fernández-Bolaños
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Izar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil
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3
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Schubotz RI, Ebel SJ, Elsner B, Weiss PH, Wörgötter F. Tool mastering today - an interdisciplinary perspective. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1191792. [PMID: 37397285 PMCID: PMC10311916 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tools have coined human life, living conditions, and culture. Recognizing the cognitive architecture underlying tool use would allow us to comprehend its evolution, development, and physiological basis. However, the cognitive underpinnings of tool mastering remain little understood in spite of long-time research in neuroscientific, psychological, behavioral and technological fields. Moreover, the recent transition of tool use to the digital domain poses new challenges for explaining the underlying processes. In this interdisciplinary review, we propose three building blocks of tool mastering: (A) perceptual and motor abilities integrate to tool manipulation knowledge, (B) perceptual and cognitive abilities to functional tool knowledge, and (C) motor and cognitive abilities to means-end knowledge about tool use. This framework allows for integrating and structuring research findings and theoretical assumptions regarding the functional architecture of tool mastering via behavior in humans and non-human primates, brain networks, as well as computational and robotic models. An interdisciplinary perspective also helps to identify open questions and to inspire innovative research approaches. The framework can be applied to studies on the transition from classical to modern, non-mechanical tools and from analogue to digital user-tool interactions in virtual reality, which come with increased functional opacity and sensorimotor decoupling between tool user, tool, and target. By working towards an integrative theory on the cognitive architecture of the use of tools and technological assistants, this review aims at stimulating future interdisciplinary research avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricarda I. Schubotz
- Department of Biological Psychology, Institute for Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sonja J. Ebel
- Human Biology & Primate Cognition, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Birgit Elsner
- Developmental Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Peter H. Weiss
- Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Florentin Wörgötter
- Inst. of Physics 3 and Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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4
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Sánchez-Amaro A, Rossano F. Comparative curiosity: How do great apes and children deal with uncertainty? PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285946. [PMID: 37256872 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans are perhaps the most curious animals on earth, but to what extent our innate motivations for discovering new information are shared with our closest relatives remain poorly understood. To shed light on this question, we presented great apes with two experimental paradigms in which they had to initially choose between an empty opaque cup and a baited opaque cup with rewards invisible to the ape in study 1, or to choose between a transparent cup with rewards or a baited opaque cup with rewards invisible to the ape in studies 2 and 3. We also presented young children with scenarios comparable to the second paradigm (studies 4 and 5). Notably, after the initial choice phase, we presented participants with potential alternatives providing better rewards than the previously secured options. Importantly, those alternatives shared some features with the uncertain options, giving subjects the possibility to relate both options through analogical reasoning. We found that most great apes were not curious about the uncertain options. They only explored those options after they were presented with the alternatives. Children, instead, explored the uncertain options before the alternatives were presented, showing a higher degree of curiosity than the great apes. We argue that differences between children and apes mostly lay in motivational dispositions to explore the unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Sánchez-Amaro
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Federico Rossano
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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5
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Gau YTA, Hsu E, Cha J, Pak RW, Looger LL, Kang JU, Bergles DE. Multicore fiber optic imaging reveals that astrocyte calcium activity in the cerebral cortex is modulated by internal motivational state. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.18.541390. [PMID: 37292710 PMCID: PMC10245653 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.18.541390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are a direct target of neuromodulators and can influence neuronal activity on broad spatial and temporal scales through their close proximity to synapses. However, our knowledge about how astrocytes are functionally recruited during different animal behaviors and their diverse effects on the CNS remains limited. To enable measurement of astrocyte activity patterns in vivo during normative behaviors, we developed a high-resolution, long working distance, multi-core fiber optic imaging platform that allows visualization of cortical astrocyte calcium transients through a cranial window in freely moving mice. Using this platform, we defined the spatiotemporal dynamics of astrocytes during diverse behaviors, ranging from circadian fluctuations to novelty exploration, showing that astrocyte activity patterns are more variable and less synchronous than apparent in head-immobilized imaging conditions. Although the activity of astrocytes in visual cortex was highly synchronized during quiescence to arousal transitions, individual astrocytes often exhibited distinct thresholds and activity patterns during explorative behaviors, in accordance with their molecular diversity, allowing temporal sequencing across the astrocyte network. Imaging astrocyte activity during self-initiated behaviors revealed that noradrenergic and cholinergic systems act synergistically to recruit astrocytes during state transitions associated with arousal and attention, which was profoundly modulated by internal state. The distinct activity patterns exhibited by astrocytes in the cerebral cortex may provide a means to vary their neuromodulatory influence in response to different behaviors and internal states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Tian A. Gau
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Eric Hsu
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Jaepyeong Cha
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Rebecca W. Pak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Loren L. Looger
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Jin U. Kang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Dwight E. Bergles
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
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6
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Vallender EJ, Hotchkiss CE, Lewis AD, Rogers J, Stern JA, Peterson SM, Ferguson B, Sayers K. Nonhuman primate genetic models for the study of rare diseases. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:20. [PMID: 36721163 PMCID: PMC9887761 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02619-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pre-clinical research and development relies heavily upon translationally valid models of disease. A major difficulty in understanding the biology of, and developing treatments for, rare disease is the lack of animal models. It is important that these models not only recapitulate the presentation of the disease in humans, but also that they share functionally equivalent underlying genetic causes. Nonhuman primates share physiological, anatomical, and behavioral similarities with humans resulting from close evolutionary relationships and high genetic homology. As the post-genomic era develops and next generation sequencing allows for the resequencing and screening of large populations of research animals, naturally occurring genetic variation in nonhuman primates with clinically relevant phenotypes is regularly emerging. Here we review nonhuman primate models of multiple rare genetic diseases with a focus on the similarities and differences in manifestation and etiologies across species. We discuss how these models are being developed and how they can offer new tools and opportunities for researchers interested in exploring novel therapeutics for these and other genetic diseases. Modeling human genetic diseases in translationally relevant nonhuman primates presents new prospects for development of therapeutics and a better understanding of rare diseases. The post-genomic era offers the opportunity for the discovery and further development of more models like those discussed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J. Vallender
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS USA
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA USA
| | - Charlotte E. Hotchkiss
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
- Washington National Primate Research Center, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Anne D. Lewis
- Oregon Health and Sciences University, Beaverton, OR USA
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, WI USA
| | - Joshua A. Stern
- University of California-Davis, Davis, CA USA
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA USA
| | - Samuel M. Peterson
- Oregon Health and Sciences University, Beaverton, OR USA
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Betsy Ferguson
- Oregon Health and Sciences University, Beaverton, OR USA
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR USA
| | - Ken Sayers
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX USA
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, San Antonio, TX USA
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7
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Smith GE, Bastos APM, Chodorow M, Taylor AH, Pepperberg IM. Contrafreeloading in kea (Nestor notabilis) in comparison to Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Sci Rep 2022; 12:17415. [PMID: 36258015 PMCID: PMC9579195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21370-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Contrafreeloading-working to access food that could be freely obtained-is rarely exhibited and poorly understood. Based on data from Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus), researchers proposed a correlation between contrafreeloading and play: that contrafreeloading is more likely when subjects view the task as play. We tested that hypothesis by subjecting a relatively more playful parrot species, the kea (Nestor notabilis), to the same experimental tasks. Experiment 1 presented eight kea with container pairs holding more- or less-preferred free or enclosed food items, and examined three types of contrafreeloading: calculated (working to access preferred food over less-preferred, freely available food); classic (working to access food identical to freely available food); and super (working to access less-preferred food over preferred, freely available food). At the group level, the kea behaved similarly to the Greys: They significantly preferred calculated contrafreeloading, performed classic contrafreeloading at chance, and significantly failed to super contrafreeload. However, overall kea engaged in more contrafreeloading than Greys. Experiment 2 examined a potentially more ecologically relevant task, a choice between shelled and unshelled walnuts. No kea contrafreeloaded for nuts, whereas two of five Greys significantly preferred nut contrafreeloading and one chose at chance. We examine proximate and adaptive explanations for the performances of these differentially playful parrot species to further elucidate the role of play in contrafreeloading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella E. Smith
- The Alex Foundation, 30 Curry Circle, Swampscott, USA ,grid.6583.80000 0000 9686 6466Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Amalia P. M. Bastos
- grid.9654.e0000 0004 0372 3343School of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, San Diego, USA
| | - Martin Chodorow
- grid.212340.60000000122985718Department of Psychology, Hunter College, The City University of New York, New York, USA
| | - Alex H. Taylor
- grid.9654.e0000 0004 0372 3343School of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand ,grid.7080.f0000 0001 2296 0625Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.425902.80000 0000 9601 989XICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene M. Pepperberg
- The Alex Foundation, 30 Curry Circle, Swampscott, USA ,grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, USA
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8
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Piccardi ES, Gliga T. Understanding sensory regulation in typical and atypical development: The case of sensory seeking. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2022.101037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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9
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Steinberg DL, Lynch JW, Cartmill EA. A robust tool kit: First report of tool use in captive crested capuchin monkeys (Sapajus robustus). Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23428. [PMID: 35942577 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Primate tool use is of great interest but has been reported only in a limited number of species. Here we report tool use in crested capuchin monkeys (Sapajus robustus), an almost completely unstudied robust capuchin species. Crested capuchins and their sister species, the yellow-breasted capuchin, diverged from a common ancestor over 2 million years ago, so this study fills a significant gap in understanding of tool use capacity and variation within the robust capuchin monkey radiation. Our study group was a captive population of seven individuals at the Santa Ana Zoo in California. The monkeys were given no prior training, and they were provided with a variety of enrichment items, including materials that could be used as tools as well as hard-to-access resources, for open-ended interactions. In 54 observation hours, monkeys performed eleven tool use actions: digging, hammering, probing, raking, sponging, striking, sweeping, throwing, waving, wedging, and wiping. We observed tool modification, serial tool use, and social learning opportunities, including monkeys' direct observation of tool use and tolerated scrounging of foods obtained through tool use. We also observed significant individual skew in tool use frequency, with one individual using tools daily, and two individuals never using tools during the study. While crested capuchins have never been reported to use tools in the wild, our findings provide evidence for the species' capacity and propensity for tool use, highlighting the urgent need for research on this understudied, endangered primate. By providing detailed data on clearly identified S. robustus individuals, this study marks an effort to counteract the overgeneralization in the captive literature in referring to any robust capuchins of unknown provenance or ancestry as Cebus apella, a practice that obfuscates potential differences among species in tool use performance and repertoire in one of the only species-rich tool-using genera in the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle L Steinberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jessica W Lynch
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Division of Life Sciences, Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Erica A Cartmill
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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10
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Forss S, Willems E. The curious case of great ape curiosity and how it is shaped by sociality. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Forss
- Collegium Helveticum, The joint Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) of the ETH Zurich The University of Zurich, and The Zurich University of the Arts Zurich Switzerland
| | - Erik Willems
- Department of Anthropology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
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11
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Aguirre M, Brun M, Couderc A, Reboul A, Senez P, Mascaro O. Knowledge in Sight: Toddlers Plan Efficient Epistemic Actions by Anticipating Learning Gains. Cogn Sci 2022; 46:e13103. [PMID: 35122298 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Anticipating the learning consequences of actions is crucial to plan efficient information seeking. Such a capacity is needed for learners to determine which actions are most likely to result in learning. Here, we tested the early ontogeny of the human capacity to anticipate the amount of learning gained from seeing. In study 1, we tested infants' capacity to anticipate the availability of sight. Fourteen-month-old infants (N = 72) were invited to search for a toy hidden inside a container. The participants were faster to attempt at opening a shutter when this action allowed them to see inside the container. Moreover, this effect was specifically observed when seeing inside the container was potentially useful to the participants' goals. Thus, infants anticipated the availability of sight, and they calibrated their information-seeking behaviors accordingly. In studies 2 and 3, we tested toddlers' capacity to anticipate whether data would be cognitively useful for their goals. Two-and-a-half-year-olds (N = 72) had to locate a target character hidden among distractors. The participants flipped the characters more often, and were comparatively faster to initiate this action when it yielded access to visual data allowing them to locate the target. Thus, toddlers planned their information-seeking behaviors by anticipating the cognitive utility of sight. In contrast, toddlers did not calibrate their behaviors to the cognitive usefulness of auditory data. These results suggest that cognitive models of learning guide toddlers' search for information. The early developmental onset of the capacity to anticipate future learning gains is crucial for active learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Aguirre
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
| | - Mélanie Brun
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
| | - Auriane Couderc
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
| | - Anne Reboul
- Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, UMR 7290, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University
| | - Philomène Senez
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
| | - Olivier Mascaro
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
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12
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Franks B, Gaffney LP, Graham C, Weary DM. Curiosity in zebrafish ( Danio rerio)? Behavioral responses to 30 novel objects. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1062420. [PMID: 36896243 PMCID: PMC9988950 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1062420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Curiosity-the motivation to seek out information-has been studied widely across the animal kingdom. To investigate curiosity in zebrafish we presented 30 novel objects to groups of zebrafish housed in semi-naturalistic tanks (6 tanks; 10 fish/tank; 10-min presentations). During the first 100 s and final 100 s of each object's 10-min presentation period, we recorded each group's: (i) latency to approach the object, (ii) attraction to the object, (iii) social dynamics: agonistic behavior and group cohesion and coordination, and (iv) diving behavior, a stress response in zebrafish. Comparing these behaviors to a 100 s baseline period when no object was present, we tested for neophobia (avoidance of novelty), neophilia (overall attraction to novelty), sustained interest (prolonged attraction to at least some presentations), discriminant interest (certain objects eliciting more attention than others), habituation (loss of interest over time), and alterations to social and stress behaviors. Zebrafish groups readily approached all objects (1 s median latency), were neophilic throughout all object presentations, and showed systematic sustained interest only for some object presentations at the beginning of the study (object presentations 1-10). Over the course of the study, zebrafish also showed signs of habituation such that by the final ten object presentations (21-30), there were no signs of overall sustained interest. During the beginning of the study (object presentations 1-10), we also found evidence for specific object-driven interest, with object ID accounting for 11% of the variability in interest scores (p < 0.01), and object-driven interest corresponding to alterations in social behavior: decreased aggression (p < 0.02), increased group cohesion (p < 0.02), and increased group coordination (p < 0.05). By explicitly investigating curiosity in fish, this work reveals that under certain conditions, zebrafish voluntarily engage in cognitive stimulation opportunities. More work is needed to clarify what types of information zebrafish find most rewarding and how long-term exposure to such opportunities may affect fish welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becca Franks
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Animal Welfare Program, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Leigh P Gaffney
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Animal Welfare Program, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Fisheries Ecology and Marine Conservation Lab, Department of Biology, The University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Courtney Graham
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Animal Welfare Program, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, The University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel M Weary
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Animal Welfare Program, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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13
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Behavior and Habitat Use Remain Diverse and Variable in Modern Zoological Exhibits over the Long-Term: Case Studies in 5 Species of Ursidae. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jzbg2040049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term evaluations of whether modern zoological exhibits help to maintain variation in the behavior of zoo animals are lacking despite the hope that animals avoid falling into monotonous patterns of behavior or boredom. This study evaluated changes in behavior and habitat use over multi-year periods in nine individuals of five bear species at two zoological facilities. Behavioral data gathered over months to years were analyzed graphically for trends in the direction of change. The habitat use dynamics were assessed graphically by looking for trends in the entropy values over time. We found that the activity budgets remained diverse and were dynamic over time, more so in younger compared to older bears. Changes in behavior suggesting positive welfare were observed, while changes that may reflect declining welfare seemed more likely to be due to age or seasonality. The observed behavioral changes suggest that the bears did not become bored with their habitats; there was likely one to several hours of daily variation in behavior, and stereotypy was rare. The diversity in the habitat use decreased over time as the animals settled into patterns of use reflecting preferences for certain areas of their habitats.
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14
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Nolfo AP, Casetta G, Palagi E. Play fighting in wild spotted hyaenas: like a bridge over the troubled water of a hierarchical society. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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15
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Hunt LT, Daw ND, Kaanders P, MacIver MA, Mugan U, Procyk E, Redish AD, Russo E, Scholl J, Stachenfeld K, Wilson CRE, Kolling N. Formalizing planning and information search in naturalistic decision-making. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:1051-1064. [PMID: 34155400 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00866-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Decisions made by mammals and birds are often temporally extended. They require planning and sampling of decision-relevant information. Our understanding of such decision-making remains in its infancy compared with simpler, forced-choice paradigms. However, recent advances in algorithms supporting planning and information search provide a lens through which we can explain neural and behavioral data in these tasks. We review these advances to obtain a clearer understanding for why planning and curiosity originated in certain species but not others; how activity in the medial temporal lobe, prefrontal and cingulate cortices may support these behaviors; and how planning and information search may complement each other as means to improve future action selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- L T Hunt
- Department of Psychiatry, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - N D Daw
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - P Kaanders
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M A MacIver
- Center for Robotics and Biosystems, Department of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - U Mugan
- Center for Robotics and Biosystems, Department of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - E Procyk
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, Bron, France
| | - A D Redish
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - E Russo
- Department of Theoretical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - J Scholl
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - C R E Wilson
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, Bron, France
| | - N Kolling
- Department of Psychiatry, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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16
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Abstract
Curiosity is a desire for information that is not motivated by strategic concerns. Latent learning is not driven by standard reinforcement processes. We propose that curiosity serves the purpose of motivating latent learning. While latent learning is often treated as a passive or incidental process, it normally reflects a strong evolved pressure to actively seek large amounts of information. That information in turn allows curious decision makers to represent the structure of their environment, that is, to form cognitive maps. These cognitive maps then drive adaptive flexible behavior. Based on recent data, we propose that orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) play complementary roles in curiosity-driven learning. Specifically, we propose that (1) OFC tracks intrinsic value of information and incorporates new information into a cognitive map; and (2) dACC tracks the environmental demands and information availability to then use the cognitive map from OFC to guide behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Zhe Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, and Center for Neuroengineering University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
| | - Benjamin Y Hayden
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, and Center for Neuroengineering University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN 55455
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17
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Neophobia in 10 ungulate species-a comparative approach. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021; 75:102. [PMID: 34177046 PMCID: PMC8219784 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03041-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Neophobia (the fearful reaction to novel stimuli or situations) has a crucial effect on individual fitness and can vary within and across species. However, the factors predicting this variation are still unclear. In this study, we assessed whether individual characteristics (rank, social integration, sex) and species socio-ecological characteristics (dietary breadth, group size, domestication) predicted variation in neophobia. For this purpose, we conducted behavioral observations and experimental tests on 78 captive individuals belonging to 10 different ungulate species-an ideal taxon to study inter-specific variation in neophobia given their variety in socio-ecological characteristics. Individuals were tested in their social groups by providing them with familiar food, half of which had been positioned close to a novel object. We monitored the individual latency to approach and eat food and the proportion of time spent in its proximity. Using a phylogenetic approach and social network analyses, we showed that across ungulate species neophobia was higher in socially more integrated individuals, as compared to less integrated ones. In contrast, rank and sex did not predict inter-individual differences in neophobia. Moreover, species differed in their levels of neophobia, with Barbary sheep being on average less neophobic than all the other study species. As group size in Barbary sheep was larger than in all the other study species, these results support the hypothesis that larger group size predicts lower levels of neophobia, and confirm ungulates as a highly promising taxon to study animal behavior and cognition with a comparative perspective. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In several species, individuals may respond fearfully to novel stimuli, therefore reducing the risks they may face. However, it is yet unclear if certain individuals or species respond more fearfully to novelty. Here, we provided food to 78 individual ungulates with different characteristics (e.g., sex, rank, social integration, group size, domestication, dietary breadth) in different controlled conditions (e.g., when food was close to novel or to familiar objects). Across species, we found that socially integrated individuals responded more fearfully in all species. Moreover, being in larger groups decreased the probability of fearfully responding to novelty. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-021-03041-0.
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18
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Ghazizadeh A, Fakharian MA, Amini A, Griggs W, Leopold DA, Hikosaka O. Brain Networks Sensitive to Object Novelty, Value, and Their Combination. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa034. [PMID: 32984816 PMCID: PMC7503454 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel and valuable objects are motivationally attractive for animals including primates. However, little is known about how novelty and value processing is organized across the brain. We used fMRI in macaques to map brain responses to visual fractal patterns varying in either novelty or value dimensions and compared the results with the structure of functionally connected brain networks determined at rest. The results show that different brain networks possess unique combinations of novelty and value coding. One network identified in the ventral temporal cortex preferentially encoded object novelty, whereas another in the parietal cortex encoded the learned value. A third network, broadly composed of temporal and prefrontal areas (TP network), along with functionally connected portions of the striatum, amygdala, and claustrum, encoded both dimensions with similar activation dynamics. Our results support the emergence of a common currency signal in the TP network that may underlie the common attitudes toward novel and valuable objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ghazizadeh
- Bio-intelligence Research Unit, Electrical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11365-11155, Iran.,School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, Tehran 19395-5746, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amin Fakharian
- Bio-intelligence Research Unit, Electrical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11365-11155, Iran
| | - Arash Amini
- Bio-intelligence Research Unit, Electrical Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11365-11155, Iran
| | - Whitney Griggs
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - David A Leopold
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Neurophysiology Imaging Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Okihide Hikosaka
- Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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19
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Caravaggi A, Burton AC, Clark DA, Fisher JT, Grass A, Green S, Hobaiter C, Hofmeester TR, Kalan AK, Rabaiotti D, Rivet D. A review of factors to consider when using camera traps to study animal behavior to inform wildlife ecology and conservation. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - A. Cole Burton
- Department of Forest Resources Management and Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British Columbia Vancouver Canada
| | - Douglas A. Clark
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
| | | | - Amelia Grass
- School of Applied SciencesUniversity of South Wales Pontypridd UK
| | - Sian Green
- Department of AnthropologyDurham University Durham UK
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- School of Psychology and NeuroscienceUniversity of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Tim R. Hofmeester
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental studiesSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
| | - Ammie K. Kalan
- Department of PrimatologyMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
| | | | - Danielle Rivet
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
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20
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Abstract
We apply a new quantitative method for investigating how children's exploration changes across age in order to gain insight into how exploration unfolds over the course of a human life from a life-history perspective. In this study, different facets of exploratory play were quantified using a novel touchscreen environment across a large sample and wide age range of children in the USA (n = 105, ages = 1 year and 10 months to 12 years and 2 months). In contrast with previous theories that have suggested humans transition from more exploratory to less throughout maturation, we see children transition from less broadly exploratory as toddlers to more efficient and broad as adolescents. Our data cast doubt on the picture of human life history as involving a linear transition from more curious in early childhood to less curious with age. Instead, exploration appears to become more elaborate throughout human childhood. This article is part of the theme issue 'Life history and learning: how childhood, caregiving and old age shape cognition and culture in humans and other animals'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddie Pelz
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Celeste Kidd
- Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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21
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McGrath RE. Darwin meets Aristotle: evolutionary evidence for three fundamental virtues. THE JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1752781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert E. McGrath
- School of Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ, USA
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22
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Jaegle A, Mehrpour V, Rust N. Visual novelty, curiosity, and intrinsic reward in machine learning and the brain. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 58:167-174. [PMID: 31614282 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A strong preference for novelty emerges in infancy and is prevalent across the animal kingdom. When incorporated into reinforcement-based machine learning algorithms, visual novelty can act as an intrinsic reward signal that vastly increases the efficiency of exploration and expedites learning, particularly in situations where external rewards are difficult to obtain. Here we review parallels between recent developments in novelty-driven machine learning algorithms and our understanding of how visual novelty is computed and signaled in the primate brain. We propose that in the visual system, novelty representations are not configured with the principal goal of detecting novel objects, but rather with the broader goal of flexibly generalizing novelty information across different states in the service of driving novelty-based learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Jaegle
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Vahid Mehrpour
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Nicole Rust
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, United States.
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23
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Pettersson H, Amundin M, Laska M. Attractant or Repellent? Behavioral Responses to Mammalian Blood Odor and to a Blood Odor Component in a Mesopredator, the Meerkat ( Suricata suricatta). Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:152. [PMID: 30083096 PMCID: PMC6064876 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well-established that the odor of mammalian blood is attractive to top predators such as tigers and wolves and aversive to prey species such as mice and rats. Recent studies have shown that the mammalian blood odor component trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal (TED) elicits corresponding behavioral responses in these two groups of mammals. Here we assess whether a mesopredator, that is, a small-bodied carnivorous mammal that is both predator and prey, is attracted to or repelled by the odor of mammalian blood and TED. To this end, we assessed the behavior of a group of 15 captive meerkats (Suricata suricatta) when presented with wooden logs that were impregnated either with horse blood or with TED, and compared it to their behavior toward a fruity odor (iso-pentyl acetate) and a near-odorless solvent (diethyl phthalate). We found that the meerkats displayed significantly more interactions with the odorized wooden logs such as sniffing and pawing when these were impregnated with the two prey-associated odors compared to the two non-prey-associated odors. Most importantly, no significant difference was found in the number of interactions with the wooden logs impregnated with horse blood and TED, respectively. These results demonstrate that meerkats, despite being small-bodied mesopredators, are clearly attracted to the odor of mammalian blood. Further, the results suggest that a single blood odor component can be as efficient as the odor of real blood in eliciting behavioral responses in this herpestid mammal, similar to previous findings in feline and canine top predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Pettersson
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mats Amundin
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Kolmården Wildlife Park, Kolmården, Sweden
| | - Matthias Laska
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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24
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Hall BA, Melfi V, Burns A, McGill DM, Doyle RE. Curious creatures: a multi-taxa investigation of responses to novelty in a zoo environment. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4454. [PMID: 29568703 PMCID: PMC5845565 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The personality trait of curiosity has been shown to increase welfare in humans. If this positive welfare effect is also true for non-humans, animals with high levels of curiosity may be able to cope better with stressful situations than their conspecifics. Before discoveries can be made regarding the effect of curiosity on an animal’s ability to cope in their environment, a way of measuring curiosity across species in different environments must be created to standardise testing. To determine the suitability of novel objects in testing curiosity, species from different evolutionary backgrounds with sufficient sample sizes were chosen. Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) n = 12, little penguins (Eudyptula minor) n = 10, ringtail lemurs (Lemur catta) n = 8, red tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksia) n = 7, Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) n = 5 and red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) n = 5 were presented with a stationary object, a moving object and a mirror. Having objects with different characteristics increased the likelihood individuals would find at least one motivating. Conspecifics were all assessed simultaneously for time to first orientate towards object (s), latency to make contact (s), frequency of interactions, and total duration of interaction (s). Differences in curiosity were recorded in four of the six species; the Barbary sheep and red tailed black cockatoos did not interact with the novel objects suggesting either a low level of curiosity or that the objects were not motivating for these animals. Variation in curiosity was seen between and within species in terms of which objects they interacted with and how long they spent with the objects. This was determined by the speed in which they interacted, and the duration of interest. By using the measure of curiosity towards novel objects with varying characteristics across a range of zoo species, we can see evidence of evolutionary, husbandry and individual influences on their response. Further work to obtain data on multiple captive populations of a single species using a standardised method could uncover factors that nurture the development of curiosity. In doing so, it would be possible to isolate and modify sub-optimal husbandry practices to improve welfare in the zoo environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda A Hall
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Vicky Melfi
- Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alicia Burns
- Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David M McGill
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rebecca E Doyle
- Animal Welfare Science Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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25
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Some like it varied: Individual differences in preference for feed variety in dairy heifers. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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26
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27
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Lambert ML, Schiestl M, Schwing R, Taylor AH, Gajdon GK, Slocombe KE, Seed AM. Function and flexibility of object exploration in kea and New Caledonian crows. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170652. [PMID: 28989768 PMCID: PMC5627108 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A range of non-human animals frequently manipulate and explore objects in their environment, which may enable them to learn about physical properties and potentially form more abstract concepts of properties such as weight and rigidity. Whether animals can apply the information learned during their exploration to solve novel problems, however, and whether they actually change their exploratory behaviour to seek functional information about objects have not been fully explored. We allowed kea (Nestor notabilis) and New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) to explore sets of novel objects both before and after encountering a task in which some of the objects could function as tools. Following this, subjects were given test trials in which they could choose among the objects they had explored to solve a tool-use task. Several individuals from both species performed above chance on these test trials, and only did so after exploring the objects, compared with a control experiment with no prior exploration phase. These results suggest that selection of functional tools may be guided by information acquired during exploration. Neither kea nor crows changed the duration or quality of their exploration after learning that the objects had a functional relevance, suggesting that birds do not adjust their behaviour to explicitly seek this information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L. Lambert
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
- Department of Cognitive Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Martina Schiestl
- Haidlhof Research Station, University of Vienna and University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - Raoul Schwing
- Comparative Cognition Unit, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alex H. Taylor
- Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Gyula K. Gajdon
- Comparative Cognition Unit, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Amanda M. Seed
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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28
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Changes in General Behavior of Two Mandrills (Papio Sphinx) Concomitant with Behavioral Testing in the Zoo. PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/bf03394548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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29
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Lind J, Lönnberg S, Persson T, Enquist M. Time Does Not Help Orangutans Pongo abelii Solve Physical Problems. Front Psychol 2017; 8:161. [PMID: 28223959 PMCID: PMC5294913 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many questions in animal intelligence and cognition research are challenging. One challenge is to identify mechanisms underlying reasoning in experiments. Here, we provide a way to design such tests in non-human animals. We know from research in skill acquisition in humans that reasoning and thinking can take time because some problems are processed in multiple steps before a solution is reached (e.g., during mental arithmetics). If animals are able to learn through similar processes their decision making can be time consuming, and most importantly improve if more time to process information is allowed. We tested if performance of two Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) increased in a two-choice experiment when they were allowed extra time before making their decisions, compared to when they were forced to decide immediately. We found that the performance of the orangutans did not depend on the time they were allowed to process the information before making their decisions. This methodology provides a potential avenue for empirical tests of mechanisms underlying reasoning in non-human animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Lind
- Centre for the Study of Cultural Evolution, Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden
| | - Sofie Lönnberg
- Centre for the Study of Cultural Evolution, Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas Persson
- Lund University Cognitive Science, Lund UniversityLund, Sweden
| | - Magnus Enquist
- Centre for the Study of Cultural Evolution, Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden
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30
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Rice NC, Makar JR, Myers TM. Sex and the stimulus-movement effect: Differences in acquisition of autoshaped responding in cynomolgus monkeys. Physiol Behav 2016; 171:40-49. [PMID: 28025092 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The stimulus-movement effect refers to the phenomenon in which stimulus discrimination or acquisition of a response is facilitated by moving stimuli as opposed to stationary stimuli. The effect has been found in monkeys, rats, and humans, but the experiments conducted did not provide adequate female representation to investigate potential sex differences. The current experiment analyzed acquisition of stimulus touching in a progressive series of classical conditioning procedures in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) as a function of sex and stimulus movement. Classical conditioning tasks arrange two or more stimuli in relation to each other with different temporal and predictive relations. Autoshaping procedures overlay operant contingencies onto a classical-conditioning stimulus arrangement. In the present case, a neutral stimulus (a small gray square displayed on a touchscreen) functioned as the conditional stimulus and a food pellet functioned as the unconditional stimulus. Although touching is not required to produce food, with repeated stimulus pairings subjects eventually touch the stimulus. Across conditions of increasing stimulus correlation and temporal contiguity, male monkeys acquired the response faster with a moving stimulus. In contrast, females acquired the response faster with a stationary stimulus. These results demonstrate that the stimulus-movement effect may be differentially affected by sex and indicate that additional experiments with females are needed to determine how sex interacts with behavioral phenomena discovered and elaborated almost exclusively using males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel C Rice
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 2900 Ricketts Point Rd, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, United States.
| | - Jennifer R Makar
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 2900 Ricketts Point Rd, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, United States.
| | - Todd M Myers
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, 2900 Ricketts Point Rd, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, United States.
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31
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Borel A, Ajzenherc Y, Moncel MH, Saint Jalme M, Krief S. Do Orangutans Share Early Human Interest in Odd Objects? CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1086/688855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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32
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33
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Fragaszy DM, Crast J. Functions of the Hand in Primates. DEVELOPMENTS IN PRIMATOLOGY: PROGRESS AND PROSPECTS 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3646-5_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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34
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Greggor AL, Thornton A, Clayton NS. Neophobia is not only avoidance: improving neophobia tests by combining cognition and ecology. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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35
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Forss SIF, Schuppli C, Haiden D, Zweifel N, van Schaik CP. Contrasting responses to novelty by wild and captive orangutans. Am J Primatol 2015; 77:1109-21. [PMID: 26119509 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Revised: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have suggested that wild primates tend to behave with caution toward novelty, whereas captive primates are thought to be less neophobic, more exploratory, and more innovative. However, few studies have systematically compared captive and wild individuals of the same species to document this "captivity effect" in greater detail. Here we report the responses of both wild and captive orangutans to the same novel items. Novel objects were presented to wild orangutans on multiple platforms placed in the canopy and equipped with motion-triggered video cameras. The same and different novel objects were also presented to orangutans in two different zoos. The results demonstrate extreme conservatism in both Bornean and Sumatran wild orangutans, who gradually approached the novel objects more closely as they became familiar, but avoided contact with them over many encounters spanning several months. Their zoo-living conspecifics, in contrast, showed an immediate neophilic response. Our results thus confirm the "captivity effect." To the various ecological explanations proposed before (reduced risk and increased time and energy balance for captive individuals relative to wild ones), we add the social information hypothesis, which claims that individuals confronted with novel items preferentially rely on social cues whenever possible. This caution toward novelty disappears when human caretakers become additional role models and can also be eroded when all experience with novelty is positive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia I F Forss
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Caroline Schuppli
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Haiden
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Zweifel
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Carel P van Schaik
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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36
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Holekamp KE, Dantzer B, Stricker G, Shaw Yoshida KC, Benson-Amram S. Brains, brawn and sociality: a hyaena's tale. Anim Behav 2015; 103:237-248. [PMID: 26160980 PMCID: PMC4493912 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Theoretically intelligence should evolve to help animals solve specific types of problems posed by the environment, but it remains unclear how environmental complexity or novelty facilitates the evolutionary enhancement of cognitive abilities, or whether domain-general intelligence can evolve in response to domain-specific selection pressures. The social complexity hypothesis, which posits that intelligence evolved to cope with the labile behaviour of conspecific group-mates, has been strongly supported by work on the sociocognitive abilities of primates and other animals. Here we review the remarkable convergence in social complexity between cercopithecine primates and spotted hyaenas, and describe our tests of predictions of the social complexity hypothesis in regard to both cognition and brain size in hyaenas. Behavioural data indicate that there has been remarkable convergence between primates and hyaenas with respect to their abilities in the domain of social cognition. Furthermore, within the family Hyaenidae, our data suggest that social complexity might have contributed to enlargement of the frontal cortex. However, social complexity failed to predict either brain volume or frontal cortex volume in a larger array of mammalian carnivores. To address the question of whether or not social complexity might be able to explain the evolution of domain-general intelligence as well as social cognition in particular, we presented simple puzzle boxes, baited with food and scaled to accommodate body size, to members of 39 carnivore species housed in zoos and found that species with larger brains relative to their body mass were more innovative and more successful at opening the boxes. However, social complexity failed to predict success in solving this problem. Overall our work suggests that, although social complexity enhances social cognition, there are no unambiguous causal links between social complexity and either brain size or performance in problem-solving tasks outside the social domain in mammalian carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay E. Holekamp
- Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, U.S.A
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, U.S.A
| | - Gregory Stricker
- Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| | | | - Sarah Benson-Amram
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, U.S.A
- Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, U.S.A
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Compete to play: trade-off with social contact in long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). PLoS One 2014; 9:e115965. [PMID: 25551755 PMCID: PMC4281089 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animal species engage in various forms of solitary object play, but this activity seems to be of particular importance in primates. If playing objects constitute a valuable resource, and access to such objects is limited, a competitive context may arise. We inserted a unique toy within a mini-colony of long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) and compared their behaviors to sessions without playing object. An automatic color-based 3D video device was used to track the positions of each animal and the toy, and this data was categorized into 5 exclusive behaviors (resting, locomotion, foraging, social contact and object play). As expected, the delay to first access to the object reflected the hierarchy of the colony, indicating that a competition took place to own this unique resource of entertainment. In addition, we found that the amount of object play was not correlated with social or foraging behavior, suggesting independent motivational mechanisms. Conversely, object playing time was negatively correlated with idling time, thus indicating its relation to pastime activities. Interestingly, the amount of social contacts in the group was significantly reduced by the heightened competitive context, suggesting that competitors are more likely to be perceived as potential threat requiring caution, as shown in humans. Experimental manipulation of competitive contexts in primates reveals common mental processes involved in social judgment, and shows that access to valuable resources can be a sufficient cause for variations in group cohesion.
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Herrmann E, Misch A, Hernandez-Lloreda V, Tomasello M. Uniquely human self-control begins at school age. Dev Sci 2014; 18:979-93. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Esther Herrmann
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Antonia Misch
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
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39
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Fornasieri I, Anderson JR, Roeder JJ. Responses to a novel food acquisition task in three species of lemurs. Behav Processes 2014; 21:143-56. [PMID: 24925846 DOI: 10.1016/0376-6357(90)90021-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/1990] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In order to study learning and social processes in lemurs, a food acquisition task was presented to three groups: Lemur macaco, L. fulvus and L. catta. The lid of a box had to be pivoted horizontally in order to expose figs contained therein. Individuals in all three groups learned the task, but they showed only limited comprehension. In L. macaco, two adult females learned, with one female showing increasing aggressive monopolization of the new food-source. In L. fulvus, two adult males learned, and one of them increasingly prevented the other from approaching. In L. catta, the adult female frequently threatened away the most efficient opener - a young adult male. The simultaneous presentation of two boxes led to a more equal distribution of the figs. Social processes revealed in the test situation included female dominance in L. macaco and L. catta, and an intermale dominance relationship in L. fulvus. The experimental situation also highlighted the privileged position of the offspring of the dominant female in L. macaco, reduced competitiveness of females with very young infants in L. fulvus, and a general tolerance towards others in L. fulvus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J J Roeder
- Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie (U.R.A.1295), Université Louis Pasteur, 7 rue de l'Université, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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Poucet B, Durup M, Thinus-Blanc C. Short-term and long-term habituation of exploration in rats, hamsters and gerbils. Behav Processes 2014; 16:203-11. [PMID: 24925710 DOI: 10.1016/0376-6357(88)90040-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/1988] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Short-term (within-session) and long-term (between-session) habituation of exploratory behavior was studied in rats, hamsters and gerbils. Subjects were observed in an open field containing four different objects during three 15-min sessions with an 8-14 h interval between each session. Their exploratory activity was measured by the numbers of contacts they made with these objects. The three species differed from each other in both their long-term and short-term habituation of exploration. Rats showed disrupted between-session habituation because of an important initial burst of activity at the beginning of each session. In contrast, hamsters and gerbils displayed between-session habituation, but within-session habituation occured during the first session only. These results are discussed in relation both to the adaptive value of exploration, and to the natural habitat of each species.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Poucet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Laboratoire de Neurosciences Functionnelles (Ulbis) 31 chemin Joseph-Aiguier 13402 Marseille cedex 9 France
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Ballen C, Shine R, Olsson M. Effects of early social isolation on the behaviour and performance of juvenile lizards, Chamaeleo calyptratus. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Byrne
- Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution and Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK.
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43
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Effect of training and familiarity on responsiveness to human cues in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Anim Cogn 2013; 17:805-14. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-013-0714-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2013] [Revised: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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45
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46
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Reliability of individual differences between garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) during repeated exposures to an open field. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.3758/bf03333315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Ghirlanda S, Enquist M, Lind J. Coevolution of intelligence, behavioral repertoire, and lifespan. Theor Popul Biol 2013; 91:44-9. [PMID: 24044983 DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2013.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Across many taxa, intriguing positive correlations exist between intelligence (measured by proxy as encephalization), behavioral repertoire size, and lifespan. Here we argue, through a simple theoretical model, that such correlations arise from selection pressures for efficient learning of behavior sequences. We define intelligence operationally as the ability to disregard unrewarding behavior sequences, without trying them out, in the search for rewarding sequences. We show that increasing a species' behavioral repertoire increases the number of rewarding behavior sequences that can be performed, but also the time required to learn such sequences. This trade-off results in an optimal repertoire size that decreases rapidly with increasing sequence length. Behavioral repertoire size can be increased by increasing intelligence or lengthening the lifespan, giving rise to the observed correlations between these traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Ghirlanda
- Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA; Center for the Study of Cultural Evolution, Stockholm University, Lilla frescativ. 7B, S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Magnus Enquist
- Center for the Study of Cultural Evolution, Stockholm University, Lilla frescativ. 7B, S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrheniusv. 14D, S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Johan Lind
- Center for the Study of Cultural Evolution, Stockholm University, Lilla frescativ. 7B, S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrheniusv. 14D, S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Burghardt GM. Environmental enrichment and cognitive complexity in reptiles and amphibians: Concepts, review, and implications for captive populations. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2013.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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50
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Pisula W, Turlejski K, Charles EP. Comparative Psychology as Unified Psychology: The Case of Curiosity and Other Novelty-Related Behavior. REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1037/a0032938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The comparative study of human and nonhuman animals covers the full range of psychological phenomenon, and so comparative psychology already exists as a form of general psychology. The potential of comparative psychology to bring together many aspects of the field of psychology is illustrated through a review of studies exploring curiosity in a variety of species. The issue of an organism's response to novelty was recognized as an important research subject in the era of Darwin. Since that time, considerable empirical and theoretical material on various aspects of behavior associated with new stimuli has been accumulated. This research additionally illustrates the utility of integrative levels theory, which enables a multilevel, comprehensive analysis of behavior. Comparative psychologists played important roles in the history of most of psychology's subdisciplines, and present-day comparative psychologists continue to contribute insights into a startlingly broad range of psychological phenomenon. Further, appreciation for the higher-level research program provided by comparative work provides a larger context that helps ground the study of human psychology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Pisula
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Turlejski
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Eric P. Charles
- Psychology Program, The Pennsylvania State University, Altoona
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