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Jardat P, Menard-Peroy Z, Parias C, Reigner F, Calandreau L, Lansade L. Horses can learn to identify joy and sadness against other basic emotions from human facial expressions. Behav Processes 2024:105081. [PMID: 39069279 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105081] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Recently, horses and other domestic mammals have been shown to perceive and react to human emotional signals, with most studies focusing on joy and anger. In this study, we tested whether horses can learn to identify human joyful and sad expressions against other emotions. We used a touchscreen-based automated device that presented pairs of human portraits and distributed pellets when the horse touched the rewarded face. Six horses were trained to touch the sad face and 5 the joyful face. By the end of training, horses' performances at the group level were significantly higher than chance level, with higher scores for horses trained with the sad face. At the individual level, evidence of task learning varied among horses, which could be explained by individual variations in horses' ability to identify different human facial expressions or attention issues during the tests. In a generalization test, we introduced portraits of different humans than those presented during training. Horses trained with the joyful face performed better than chance, demonstrating generalization. Conversely, horses trained with the sad face did not. Horses also showed differences in learning performance according to the non-rewarded emotion, providing insights into horses' cognitive processing of facial expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Plotine Jardat
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Zoé Menard-Peroy
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Céline Parias
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | | | | | - Léa Lansade
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
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2
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Brunet V, Lafond T, Kleiber A, Lansade L, Calandreau L, Colson V. Environmental enrichment improves cognitive flexibility in rainbow trout in a visual discrimination task: first insights. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1184296. [PMID: 37396987 PMCID: PMC10313407 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1184296] [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: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on fish cognition provides strong evidence that fish are endowed with high level cognitive skills. However, most studies on cognitive flexibility and generalization abilities, two key adaptive traits for captive animals, focused on model species, and farmed fish received too little attention. Environmental enrichment was shown to improve learning abilities in various fish species, but its influence on cognitive flexibility and generalization abilities is still unknown. We studied farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as an aquaculture model to study how environmental enrichment impacts their cognitive abilities. Using an operant conditioning device, allowing the expression of a motivated choice, we measured fish cognitive flexibility with serial reversal learning tests, after a successful acquisition phase based on two colors discrimination (2-alternative forced choice, 2-AFC), and their ability to generalize a rewarded color to any shape. Eight fish were divided into two groups: Condition E (fish reared from fry stages under enriched conditions with plants, rocks and pipes for ~9 months); Condition B (standard barren conditions). Only one fish (condition E) failed in the habituation phase of the device and one fish (condition B) failed in the 2-AFC task. We showed that after a successful acquisition phase in which the fish correctly discriminated two colors, they all succeeded in four reversal learnings, supporting evidence for cognitive flexibility in rainbow trout. They were all successful in the generalization task. Interestingly, fish reared in an enriched environment performed better in the acquisition phase and in the reversal learning (as evidenced by fewer trials needed to reach the learning criterion), but not in the generalization task. We assume that color-based generalization may be a simpler cognitive process than discriminative learning and cognitive flexibility, and does not seem to be influenced by environmental conditions. Given the small number of individuals tested, our results may be considered as first insights into cognitive flexibility in farmed fish using an operant conditioning device, but they pave the way for future studies. We conclude that farming conditions should take into account the cognitive abilities of fish, in particular their cognitive flexibility, by allowing them to live in an enriched environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Brunet
- Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des Poissons, INRAE, Rennes, France
| | - Thomas Lafond
- Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des Poissons, INRAE, Rennes, France
| | - Aude Kleiber
- Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des Poissons, INRAE, Rennes, France
- Comportement Animal et Systèmes d’Elevage, JUNIA, Lille, France
| | - Léa Lansade
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Ludovic Calandreau
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Violaine Colson
- Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des Poissons, INRAE, Rennes, France
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Wilson VAD, Bethell EJ, Nawroth C. The use of gaze to study cognition: limitations, solutions, and applications to animal welfare. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1147278. [PMID: 37205074 PMCID: PMC10185774 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1147278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of gaze responses, typically using looking time paradigms, has become a popular approach to improving our understanding of cognitive processes in non-verbal individuals. Our interpretation of data derived from these paradigms, however, is constrained by how we conceptually and methodologically approach these problems. In this perspective paper, we outline the application of gaze studies in comparative cognitive and behavioral research and highlight current limitations in the interpretation of commonly used paradigms. Further, we propose potential solutions, including improvements to current experimental approaches, as well as broad-scale benefits of technology and collaboration. Finally, we outline the potential benefits of studying gaze responses from an animal welfare perspective. We advocate the implementation of these proposals across the field of animal behavior and cognition to aid experimental validity, and further advance our knowledge on a variety of cognitive processes and welfare outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa A. D. Wilson
- Department of Comparative Cognition, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Vanessa A. D. Wilson,
| | - Emily J. Bethell
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Nawroth
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, 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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Katlein N, Ray M, Wilkinson A, Claude J, Kiskowski M, Wang B, Glaberman S, Chiari Y. Does colour impact responses to images in geckos? J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- N. Katlein
- Department of Biology University of South Alabama Mobile AL USA
| | - M. Ray
- Department of Biology University of South Alabama Mobile AL USA
| | - A. Wilkinson
- School of Life Sciences University of Lincoln Lincoln UK
| | - J. Claude
- UMR UM/CNRS/IRD/EPHE Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier MontpellierFrance
| | - M. Kiskowski
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of South Alabama Mobile AL USA
| | - B. Wang
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of South Alabama Mobile AL USA
| | - S. Glaberman
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy George Mason University Fairfax VA USA
| | - Y. Chiari
- Department of Biology University of South Alabama Mobile AL USA
- Department of Biology George Mason University Fairfax VA USA
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Behrmann M, Avidan G. Face perception: computational insights from phylogeny. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:350-363. [PMID: 35232662 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.01.006] [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: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Studies of face perception in primates elucidate the psychological and neural mechanisms that support this critical and complex ability. Recent progress in characterizing face perception across species, for example in insects and reptiles, has highlighted the ubiquity over phylogeny of this key ability for social interactions and survival. Here, we review the competence in face perception across species and the types of computation that support this behavior. We conclude that the computational complexity of face perception evinced by a species is not related to phylogenetic status and is, instead, largely a product of environmental context and social and adaptive pressures. Integrating findings across evolutionary data permits the derivation of computational principles that shed further light on primate face perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Behrmann
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Galia Avidan
- Department of Psychology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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