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van Berlo E, Roth TS, Kim Y, Kret ME. Selective and prolonged attention to emotional scenes in humans and bonobos. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240433. [PMID: 39106955 PMCID: PMC11303022 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0433] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Perceiving emotions in others is at the foundation of higher-order social cognition. The importance of emotions is evidenced by the fact that they receive prioritized attention at early stages of processing the environment in humans and some other primates. Nevertheless, we do not fully understand how emotion modulates attention over longer durations in primates, particularly in great apes. Bonobos, one of our closest relatives, stand out in emotion processing and regulation among great apes. This makes them an interesting comparison species and a valuable model for studying the evolution of emotion perception in hominids. We investigated how bonobos and humans spontaneously attend to emotionally valent scenes in a preferential looking task using eye-tracking. With Bayesian mixed modelling, we found that bonobos and humans generally looked longer at emotional scenes, mainly of conspecifics. Moreover, while bonobos did not have a bias toward emotional human scenes, humans sustained their attention toward bonobos playing, grooming and having sex. Furthermore, when exploring an immediate bias for emotions, humans showed a bias toward affiliative human scenes, and bonobos showed a bias away from bonobos-in-distress scenes. These findings suggest that emotions modulate attention at early and later attentional stages in bonobos, similar to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evy van Berlo
- Institute of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Evolutionary and Population Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tom S. Roth
- Institute of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology, Animal Behaviour and Cognition, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Yena Kim
- Institute of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mariska E. Kret
- Institute of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
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2
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Huang X, Li G, Zhang G, Li Z, Zhao L, Zhu M, Xiang Q, Liu X, Tian M, Zhang H, Buesching CD, Liu D. Friend or foe? Using eye-tracking technology to investigate the visual discrimination ability of giant pandas. Curr Zool 2024; 70:430-439. [PMID: 39176058 PMCID: PMC11336681 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The role that visual discriminative ability plays among giant pandas in social communication and individual discrimination has received less attention than olfactory and auditory modalities. Here, we used an eye-tracker technology to investigate pupil fixation patterns for 8 captive male giant pandas Ailuropoda melanoleuca. We paired images (N = 26) of conspecifics against: 1) sympatric predators (gray wolves and tigers), and non-threatening sympatric species (golden pheasant, golden snub-nosed monkey, takin, and red panda), 2) conspecifics with atypical fur coloration (albino and brown), and 3) zookeepers/non-zookeepers wearing either work uniform or plain clothing. For each session, we tracked the panda's pupil movements and measured pupil first fixation point (FFP), fixation latency, total fixation count (TFC), and duration (TFD) of attention to each image. Overall, pandas exhibited similar attention (FFPs and TFCs) to images of predators and non-threatening sympatric species. Images of golden pheasant, snub-nosed monkey, and tiger received less attention (TFD) than images of conspecifics, whereas images of takin and red panda received more attention, suggesting a greater alertness to habitat or food competitors than to potential predators. Pandas' TFCs were greater for images of black-white conspecifics than for albino or brown phenotypes, implying that familiar color elicited more interest. Pandas reacted differently to images of men versus women. For images of women only, pandas gave more attention (TFC) to familiar combinations (uniformed zookeepers and plain-clothed non-zookeepers), consistent with the familiarity hypothesis. That pandas can use visual perception to discriminate intra-specifically and inter-specifically, including details of human appearance, has applications for panda conservation and captive husbandry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinrui Huang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Guo Li
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Sichuan 623004, China
| | - Guiquan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Sichuan 623004, China
| | - Zixiang Li
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Mengdie Zhu
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qinghua Xiang
- School of Computer and Information Technology, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Xuefeng Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technology, Beijing Zoo, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Mei Tian
- School of Computer and Information Technology, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Sichuan 623004, China
| | - Christina D Buesching
- Department of Biology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Dingzhen Liu
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Uchikoshi M, Yu L, Hattori Y. Applying an eye tracking technique to gibbons: First study using scanpath measurements for visual stimuli. Behav Processes 2024; 221:105080. [PMID: 39053563 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105080] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Compared to the abundance of research on cognition in various nonhuman primate species, studies of gibbons -- often called "the small apes" -- remain limited, despite the importance of gibbons for understanding evolutionary processes in humans and other apes. Over the past decade, eye tracking techniques have been established in chimpanzees and other nonhuman primates using the free-participation method, which requires no physical restraint of the subjects. We investigated the feasibility of using the same method to record visual scanpaths in gibbons. We attempted to measure the eye movements of three adult gibbons while they spontaneously viewed images, with no prior fixation training. Calibration was successful in all three individuals, with errors of less than one degree. In total, 24 stimuli were used, with landscape and nonhuman primate face photographs presented on one-quarter of the screen, to test the prediction that gibbons would change their viewing time depending on image category. All three gibbons viewed the images for longer than the background, and primate face images for longer than landscapes. These results are consistent with previous findings in other primate species that faces attract more attention than non-face stimuli, suggesting that this effect is common across primates. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using eye tracking with gibbons. Further studies on gibbon visual exploration and cognition may enhance our understanding of the phylogenetic origins of hominid intelligence as well as the unique evolution of gibbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makiko Uchikoshi
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Japan.
| | - Lira Yu
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan
| | - Yuko Hattori
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Japan.
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Wolff BF, Galizio M, Bruce K. This or not that: select and reject control of relational responding in rats using a blank comparison procedure with odor stimuli. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:44. [PMID: 38884865 PMCID: PMC11182792 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01881-7] [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: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The blank comparison (BLC) task was developed to assess stimulus relations in discrimination learning; that is, are subjects learning to "select" the correct stimulus (S+) or "reject" the incorrect stimulus (S-) or both? This task has been used to study exclusion learning, mostly in humans and monkeys, and the present study extends the procedure to rats. The BLC task uses an ambiguous stimulus (BLC+/-) that replaces S+ (in the presence of S-) and replaces S- (in the presence of S+). In the current experiment, four rats were trained to remove session-novel scented lids from sand-filled cups in a two-choice, simultaneous presentation procedure called the Odor Span Task (OST) before being trained on the BLC procedure using odors as the discriminative stimuli. The BLC training procedure utilized simple discrimination training (S+ and S-) and added select (S+ and BLC-) and reject (BLC+ and S-) trial types. All rats demonstrated accurate performance in sessions with both select and reject type trials. Next, BLC probe trials were interspersed in standard OST sessions to assess the form of stimulus control in the OST. Rats performed accurately on select type probe trials (similar to baseline OST performance) and also showed above chance accuracy on reject type trials. Thus, we demonstrated that rats could acquire an odor-based version of the BLC task and that both select and exclusion-based (reject) relations were active in the OST. The finding of exclusion in rats under the rigorous BLC task conditions confirms that exclusion-based responding is not limited to humans and non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobbie Faith Wolff
- Department of Psychology, UNC Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA
| | - Mark Galizio
- Department of Psychology, UNC Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA
| | - Katherine Bruce
- Department of Psychology, UNC Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA.
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Roth TS, Samara I, Perea-Garcia JO, Kret ME. No immediate attentional bias towards or choice bias for male secondary sexual characteristics in Bornean orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus). Sci Rep 2024; 14:12095. [PMID: 38802458 PMCID: PMC11130206 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62187-9] [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: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Primate faces provide information about a range of variant and invariant traits, including some that are relevant for mate choice. For example, faces of males may convey information about their health or genetic quality through symmetry or facial masculinity. Because perceiving and processing such information may have bearing on the reproductive success of an individual, cognitive systems are expected to be sensitive to facial cues of mate quality. However, few studies have investigated this topic in non-human primate species. Orang-utans are an interesting species to test mate-relevant cognitive biases, because they are characterised by male bimaturism: some adult males are fully developed and bear conspicuous flanges on the side of their face, while other males look relatively similar to females. Here, we describe two non-invasive computerised experiments with Bornean orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus), testing (i) immediate attention towards large flanges and symmetrical faces using a dot-probe task (N = 3 individuals; 2F) and (ii) choice bias for pictures of flanged males over unflanged males using a preference test (N = 6 individuals; 4F). In contrast with our expectations, we found no immediate attentional bias towards either large flanges or symmetrical faces. In addition, individuals did not show a choice bias for stimuli of flanged males. We did find exploratory evidence for a colour bias and energy efficiency trade-offs in the preference task. We discuss our null results and exploratory results in the context of the evolutionary history of Bornean orang-utans, and provide suggestions for a more biocentric approach to the study of orang-utan cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom S Roth
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, The Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Apenheul Primate Park, J.CWilslaan 21, 7313 HK, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
- Animal Behaviour & Cognition, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Iliana Samara
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, The Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Juan Olvido Perea-Garcia
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, The Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mariska E Kret
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, The Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands
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Itahara A, Kano F. Gaze tracking of large-billed crows (Corvus macrorhynchos) in a motion capture system. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246514. [PMID: 38362616 PMCID: PMC11007591 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246514] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies often inferred the focus of a bird's attention from its head movements because it provides important clues about their perception and cognition. However, it remains challenging to do so accurately, as the details of how they orient their visual field toward the visual targets remain largely unclear. We thus examined visual field configurations and the visual field use of large-billed crows (Corvus macrorhynchos Wagler 1827). We used an established ophthalmoscopic reflex technique to identify the visual field configuration, including the binocular width and optical axes, as well as the degree of eye movement. A newly established motion capture system was then used to track the head movements of freely moving crows to examine how they oriented their reconstructed visual fields toward attention-getting objects. When visual targets were moving, the crows frequently used their binocular visual fields, particularly around the projection of the beak-tip. When the visual targets stopped moving, crows frequently used non-binocular visual fields, particularly around the regions where their optical axes were found. On such occasions, the crows slightly preferred the right eye. Overall, the visual field use of crows is clearly predictable. Thus, while the untracked eye movements could introduce some level of uncertainty (typically within 15 deg), we demonstrated the feasibility of inferring a crow's attentional focus by 3D tracking of their heads. Our system represents a promising initial step towards establishing gaze tracking methods for studying corvid behavior and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiro Itahara
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6068203, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Kano
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany
- Max-Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell 78315, Germany
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Zeng G, Simpson EA, Paukner A. Maximizing valid eye-tracking data in human and macaque infants by optimizing calibration and adjusting areas of interest. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:881-907. [PMID: 36890330 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-022-02056-3] [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] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Remote eye tracking with automated corneal reflection provides insights into the emergence and development of cognitive, social, and emotional functions in human infants and non-human primates. However, because most eye-tracking systems were designed for use in human adults, the accuracy of eye-tracking data collected in other populations is unclear, as are potential approaches to minimize measurement error. For instance, data quality may differ across species or ages, which are necessary considerations for comparative and developmental studies. Here we examined how the calibration method and adjustments to areas of interest (AOIs) of the Tobii TX300 changed the mapping of fixations to AOIs in a cross-species longitudinal study. We tested humans (N = 119) at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 14 months of age and macaques (Macaca mulatta; N = 21) at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and 6 months of age. In all groups, we found improvement in the proportion of AOI hits detected as the number of successful calibration points increased, suggesting calibration approaches with more points may be advantageous. Spatially enlarging and temporally prolonging AOIs increased the number of fixation-AOI mappings, suggesting improvements in capturing infants' gaze behaviors; however, these benefits varied across age groups and species, suggesting different parameters may be ideal, depending on the population studied. In sum, to maximize usable sessions and minimize measurement error, eye-tracking data collection and extraction approaches may need adjustments for the age groups and species studied. Doing so may make it easier to standardize and replicate eye-tracking research findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Zeng
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | | | - Annika Paukner
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
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Lewis LS, Wessling EG, Kano F, Stevens JMG, Call J, Krupenye C. Bonobos and chimpanzees remember familiar conspecifics for decades. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2304903120. [PMID: 38109542 PMCID: PMC10756267 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304903120] [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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognition and memory of familiar conspecifics provides the foundation for complex sociality and is vital to navigating an unpredictable social world [Tibbetts and Dale, Trends Ecol. Evol. 22, 529-537 (2007)]. Human social memory incorporates content about interactions and relationships and can last for decades [Sherry and Schacter, Psychol. Rev. 94, 439-454 (1987)]. Long-term social memory likely played a key role throughout human evolution, as our ancestors increasingly built relationships that operated across distant space and time [Malone et al., Int. J. Primatol. 33, 1251-1277 (2012)]. Although individual recognition is widespread among animals and sometimes lasts for years, little is known about social memory in nonhuman apes and the shared evolutionary foundations of human social memory. In a preferential-looking eye-tracking task, we presented chimpanzees and bonobos (N = 26) with side-by-side images of a previous groupmate and a conspecific stranger of the same sex. Apes' attention was biased toward former groupmates, indicating long-term memory for past social partners. The strength of biases toward former groupmates was not impacted by the duration apart, and our results suggest that recognition may persist for at least 26 y beyond separation. We also found significant but weak evidence that, like humans, apes may remember the quality or content of these past relationships: apes' looking biases were stronger for individuals with whom they had more positive histories of social interaction. Long-lasting social memory likely provided key foundations for the evolution of human culture and sociality as they extended across time, space, and group boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S. Lewis
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St AndrewsKY16 9AX, United Kingdom
| | - Erin G. Wessling
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St AndrewsKY16 9AX, United Kingdom
| | - Fumihiro Kano
- Kumamoto Sanctuary, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kumamoto862-0911, Japan
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Konstanz78457, Germany
| | - Jeroen M. G. Stevens
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, AntwerpBE-2000, Belgium
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp2018, Belgium
| | - Josep Call
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St AndrewsKY16 9AX, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Krupenye
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St AndrewsKY16 9AX, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
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Takahashi M, Veale R. Pathways for Naturalistic Looking Behavior in Primate I: Behavioral Characteristics and Brainstem Circuits. Neuroscience 2023; 532:133-163. [PMID: 37776945 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.09.009] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Organisms control their visual worlds by moving their eyes, heads, and bodies. This control of "gaze" or "looking" is key to survival and intelligence, but our investigation of the underlying neural mechanisms in natural conditions is hindered by technical limitations. Recent advances have enabled measurement of both brain and behavior in freely moving animals in complex environments, expanding on historical head-fixed laboratory investigations. We juxtapose looking behavior as traditionally measured in the laboratory against looking behavior in naturalistic conditions, finding that behavior changes when animals are free to move or when stimuli have depth or sound. We specifically focus on the brainstem circuits driving gaze shifts and gaze stabilization. The overarching goal of this review is to reconcile historical understanding of the differential neural circuits for different "classes" of gaze shift with two inconvenient truths. (1) "classes" of gaze behavior are artificial. (2) The neural circuits historically identified to control each "class" of behavior do not operate in isolation during natural behavior. Instead, multiple pathways combine adaptively and non-linearly depending on individual experience. While the neural circuits for reflexive and voluntary gaze behaviors traverse somewhat independent brainstem and spinal cord circuits, both can be modulated by feedback, meaning that most gaze behaviors are learned rather than hardcoded. Despite this flexibility, there are broadly enumerable neural pathways commonly adopted among primate gaze systems. Parallel pathways which carry simultaneous evolutionary and homeostatic drives converge in superior colliculus, a layered midbrain structure which integrates and relays these volitional signals to brainstem gaze-control circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayu Takahashi
- Department of Systems Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental, Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
| | - Richard Veale
- Department of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan
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Alreja A, Ward MJ, Ma Q, Russ BE, Bickel S, Van Wouwe NC, González-Martínez JA, Neimat JS, Abel TJ, Bagić A, Parker LS, Richardson RM, Schroeder CE, Morency LP, Ghuman AS. A new paradigm for investigating real-world social behavior and its neural underpinnings. Behav Res Methods 2023; 55:2333-2352. [PMID: 35877024 PMCID: PMC10841340 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-022-01882-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Eye tracking and other behavioral measurements collected from patient-participants in their hospital rooms afford a unique opportunity to study natural behavior for basic and clinical translational research. We describe an immersive social and behavioral paradigm implemented in patients undergoing evaluation for surgical treatment of epilepsy, with electrodes implanted in the brain to determine the source of their seizures. Our studies entail collecting eye tracking with other behavioral and psychophysiological measurements from patient-participants during unscripted behavior, including social interactions with clinical staff, friends, and family in the hospital room. This approach affords a unique opportunity to study the neurobiology of natural social behavior, though it requires carefully addressing distinct logistical, technical, and ethical challenges. Collecting neurophysiological data synchronized to behavioral and psychophysiological measures helps us to study the relationship between behavior and physiology. Combining across these rich data sources while participants eat, read, converse with friends and family, etc., enables clinical-translational research aimed at understanding the participants' disorders and clinician-patient interactions, as well as basic research into natural, real-world behavior. We discuss data acquisition, quality control, annotation, and analysis pipelines that are required for our studies. We also discuss the clinical, logistical, and ethical and privacy considerations critical to working in the hospital setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arish Alreja
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA.
- Machine Learning Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA.
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA.
| | - Michael J Ward
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Qianli Ma
- Language Technologies Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Brian E Russ
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, USA
| | - Stephan Bickel
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Northwell Health, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, USA
| | - Nelleke C Van Wouwe
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA
| | | | - Joseph S Neimat
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA
| | - Taylor J Abel
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Anto Bagić
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Lisa S Parker
- School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - R Mark Richardson
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Charles E Schroeder
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, USA
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | | | - Avniel Singh Ghuman
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
- Departments of Psychology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
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11
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Park SY, Holmqvist K, Niehorster DC, Huber L, Virányi Z. How to improve data quality in dog eye tracking. Behav Res Methods 2023; 55:1513-1536. [PMID: 35680764 PMCID: PMC10250523 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-022-01788-6] [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] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Pupil-corneal reflection (P-CR) eye tracking has gained a prominent role in studying dog visual cognition, despite methodological challenges that often lead to lower-quality data than when recording from humans. In the current study, we investigated if and how the morphology of dogs might interfere with tracking of P-CR systems, and to what extent such interference, possibly in combination with dog-unique eye-movement characteristics, may undermine data quality and affect eye-movement classification when processed through algorithms. For this aim, we have conducted an eye-tracking experiment with dogs and humans, and investigated incidences of tracking interference, compared how they blinked, and examined how differential quality of dog and human data affected the detection and classification of eye-movement events. Our results show that the morphology of dogs' face and eye can interfere with tracking methods of the systems, and dogs blink less often but their blinks are longer. Importantly, the lower quality of dog data lead to larger differences in how two different event detection algorithms classified fixations, indicating that the results of key dependent variables are more susceptible to choice of algorithm in dog than human data. Further, two measures of the Nyström & Holmqvist (Behavior Research Methods, 42(4), 188-204, 2010) algorithm showed that dog fixations are less stable and dog data have more trials with extreme levels of noise. Our findings call for analyses better adjusted to the characteristics of dog eye-tracking data, and our recommendations help future dog eye-tracking studies acquire quality data to enable robust comparisons of visual cognition between dogs and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soon Young Park
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Kenneth Holmqvist
- Institute of Psychology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Torun, Poland
- Department of Psychology, Regensburg University, Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Computer Science and Informatics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Diederick C Niehorster
- Lund University Humanities Lab and Department of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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12
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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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13
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Kano F, Naik H, Keskin G, Couzin ID, Nagy M. Head-tracking of freely-behaving pigeons in a motion-capture system reveals the selective use of visual field regions. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19113. [PMID: 36352049 PMCID: PMC9646700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21931-9] [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: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a motion-capture system and custom head-calibration methods, we reconstructed the head-centric view of freely behaving pigeons and examined how they orient their head when presented with various types of attention-getting objects at various relative locations. Pigeons predominantly employed their retinal specializations to view a visual target, namely their foveas projecting laterally (at an azimuth of ± 75°) into the horizon, and their visually-sensitive "red areas" projecting broadly into the lower-frontal visual field. Pigeons used their foveas to view any distant object while they used their red areas to view a nearby object on the ground (< 50 cm). Pigeons "fixated" a visual target with their foveas; the intervals between head-saccades were longer when the visual target was viewed by birds' foveas compared to when it was viewed by any other region. Furthermore, pigeons showed a weak preference to use their right eye to examine small objects distinctive in detailed features and their left eye to view threat-related or social stimuli. Despite the known difficulty in identifying where a bird is attending, we show that it is possible to estimate the visual attention of freely-behaving birds by tracking the projections of their retinal specializations in their visual field with cutting-edge methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumihiro Kano
- grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany ,grid.507516.00000 0004 7661 536XDepartment of Collective Behaviour, Max-Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Hemal Naik
- grid.507516.00000 0004 7661 536XDepartment of Collective Behaviour, Max-Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany ,grid.507516.00000 0004 7661 536XDepartment of Ecology of Animal Societies, Max-Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany ,grid.5252.00000 0004 1936 973XComputer Aided Medical Procedures, Teschnische Universiät Munchen, Munich, Germany ,grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Göksel Keskin
- grid.5018.c0000 0001 2149 4407MTA-ELTE Lendület Collective Behaviour Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary ,grid.5591.80000 0001 2294 6276Department of Biological Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Iain D. Couzin
- grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany ,grid.507516.00000 0004 7661 536XDepartment of Collective Behaviour, Max-Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany ,grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Máté Nagy
- grid.507516.00000 0004 7661 536XDepartment of Collective Behaviour, Max-Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany ,grid.5018.c0000 0001 2149 4407MTA-ELTE Lendület Collective Behaviour Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary ,grid.5591.80000 0001 2294 6276Department of Biological Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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14
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Knaebe B, Weiss CC, Zimmermann J, Hayden BY. The Promise of Behavioral Tracking Systems for Advancing Primate Animal Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12131648. [PMID: 35804547 PMCID: PMC9265027 DOI: 10.3390/ani12131648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Computerized tracking systems for primates and other animals are one of the great inventions of the 21st century. These systems have already revolutionized the study of primatology, psychology, neuroscience, and biomedicine. Less discussed is that they also promise to greatly enhance animal welfare. Their potential benefits include identifying and reducing pain, suffering, and distress in captive populations, improving laboratory animal welfare, and applying our understanding of animal behavior to increase the “natural” behaviors in captive and wild populations, especially those under threat. We are optimistic that these changes will greatly increase the welfare of primates, including those in laboratories, zoos, primate centers, and in the wild. Abstract Recent years have witnessed major advances in the ability of computerized systems to track the positions of animals as they move through large and unconstrained environments. These systems have so far been a great boon in the fields of primatology, psychology, neuroscience, and biomedicine. Here, we discuss the promise of these technologies for animal welfare. Their potential benefits include identifying and reducing pain, suffering, and distress in captive populations, improving laboratory animal welfare within the context of the three Rs of animal research (reduction, refinement, and replacement), and applying our understanding of animal behavior to increase the “natural” behaviors in captive and wild populations facing human impact challenges. We note that these benefits are often incidental to the designed purpose of these tracking systems, a reflection of the fact that animal welfare is not inimical to research progress, but instead, that the aligned interests between basic research and welfare hold great promise for improvements to animal well-being.
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15
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Wilson VAD, Zuberbühler K, Bickel B. The evolutionary origins of syntax: Event cognition in nonhuman primates. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn8464. [PMID: 35731868 PMCID: PMC9216513 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn8464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Languages tend to encode events from the perspective of agents, placing them first and in simpler forms than patients. This agent bias is mirrored by cognition: Agents are more quickly recognized than patients and generally attract more attention. This leads to the hypothesis that key aspects of language structure are fundamentally rooted in a cognition that decomposes events into agents, actions, and patients, privileging agents. Although this type of event representation is almost certainly universal across languages, it remains unclear whether the underlying cognition is uniquely human or more widespread in animals. Here, we review a range of evidence from primates and other animals, which suggests that agent-based event decomposition is phylogenetically older than humans. We propose a research program to test this hypothesis in great apes and human infants, with the goal to resolve one of the major questions in the evolution of language, the origins of syntax.
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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
| | - Klaus Zuberbühler
- Department of Comparative Cognition, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland
| | - Balthasar Bickel
- Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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16
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Lewis LS, Krupenye C. Eye-tracking as a window into primate social cognition. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23393. [PMID: 35635515 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, noninvasive, restraint-free eye-tracking research with primates has transformed our understanding of primate social cognition. The use of this technology with many primate species allows for the exploration and comparison of how these species attend to and understand social agents and interactions. The ability to compare and contrast the cognitive capacities of various primate species, including humans, provides insight into the evolutionary mechanisms and selective pressures that have likely shaped social cognition in similar and divergent ways across the primate order. In this review, we begin by discussing noninvasive behavioral methods used to measure primate gaze and attention before the introduction of noninvasive, restraint-free eye-tracking methodologies. Next, we focus on findings from recent eye-tracking research on primate social cognition, beginning with simple visual and search mechanisms. We then discuss the results that have built on this basic understanding of how primates view images and videos, exploring discrimination and knowledge of social agents, following social cues, tracking perspectives and predicting behavior, and the combination of eye-tracking and other behavioral and physiological methods. Finally, we discuss some future directions of noninvasive eye-tracking research on primate social cognition and current eye-tracking work-in-progress that builds on these previous studies, investigating underexplored socio-cognitive capacities and utilizing new methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Lewis
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Christopher Krupenye
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
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17
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Leinwand JG, Fidino M, Ross SR, Hopper LM. Familiarity mediates apes' attentional biases toward human faces. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212599. [PMID: 35473378 PMCID: PMC9043736 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2599] [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] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In zoos, primates experience markedly different interactions with familiar humans, such as the zookeepers who care for them, compared with those with unfamiliar humans, such as the large volume of zoo visitors to whom they are regularly exposed. While the behaviour of zoo-housed primates in the presence of unfamiliar, and to a lesser extent familiar, humans has received considerable attention, if and how they spontaneously distinguish familiar from unfamiliar people, and the cognitive mechanisms underlying the relationships they form with familiar and unfamiliar humans, remain poorly understood. Using a dot-probe paradigm, we assessed whether primates (chimpanzees and gorillas) show an attentional bias toward the faces of familiar humans, with whom the apes presumably had a positive relationship. Contrary to our predictions, all subjects showed a significant attentional bias toward unfamiliar people's faces compared with familiar people's faces when the faces showed a neutral expression, both with and without a surgical face mask on, but no significant attentional bias when the faces showed a surprised expression. These results demonstrate that apes can spontaneously categorize humans based on familiarity and we argue that the attentional biases the apes showed for unfamiliar human faces reflect a novelty effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse G. Leinwand
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mason Fidino
- Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stephen R. Ross
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lydia M. Hopper
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA,Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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18
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Hopper LM. Primatology in zoos: Studying behavior, cognition, and welfare. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23385. [PMID: 35451513 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23385] [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: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Primatological research in zoos is increasing globally. Such research allows scientists to study primate biology, behavior, and cognition while helping to advance the welfare of captive primates. Moreover, zoos welcome millions of visitors annually, which creates unique opportunities for public engagement with this research. Reflecting the importance of zoos in the field of primatology, the articles in this special issue showcase the range of primatological research currently being conducted in zoos around the world. With this special issue, I have chosen to focus on research examining primate behavior and cognition, addressing both basic and applied questions. The articles included in this special issue also highlight the array of technologies and methods being used to study zoo-housed primates. While zoos house a variety of primate species, potentially enabling the testing of under-studied species or widescale comparative research, great apes are disproportionately represented in current zoo-based research. Thus, while an interest in conducting research with primates in zoos continues to grow, there are still opportunities to increase the breadth and diversity of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia M Hopper
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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19
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Jacob G, Katti H, Cherian T, Das J, Zhivago KA, Arun SP. A naturalistic environment to study visual cognition in unrestrained monkeys. eLife 2021; 10:63816. [PMID: 34821553 PMCID: PMC8676323 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Macaque monkeys are widely used to study vision. In the traditional approach, monkeys are brought into a lab to perform visual tasks while they are restrained to obtain stable eye tracking and neural recordings. Here, we describe a novel environment to study visual cognition in a more natural setting as well as other natural and social behaviors. We designed a naturalistic environment with an integrated touchscreen workstation that enables high-quality eye tracking in unrestrained monkeys. We used this environment to train monkeys on a challenging same-different task. We also show that this environment can reveal interesting novel social behaviors. As proof of concept, we show that two naive monkeys were able to learn this complex task through a combination of socially observing trained monkeys and solo trial-and-error. We propose that such naturalistic environments can be used to rigorously study visual cognition as well as other natural and social behaviors in freely moving monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgin Jacob
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Bangalore, India.,Department of Electrical Communication Engineering Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Harish Katti
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Bangalore, India
| | - Thomas Cherian
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Bangalore, India
| | - Jhilik Das
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Bangalore, India
| | - K A Zhivago
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Bangalore, India
| | - S P Arun
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Bangalore, India
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20
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Bueno-Guerra N. Where Is Ethology Heading? An Invitation for Collective Metadisciplinary Discussion. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2520. [PMID: 34573486 PMCID: PMC8472011 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many factors can impact the advancement of scientific disciplines. In the study of animal behavior and cognition (i.e., Ethology), a lack of consensus about definitions or the emergence of some current events and inventions, among other aspects, may challenge the discipline's grounds within the next decades. A collective metadisciplinary discussion may help in envisioning the future to come. For that purpose, I elaborated an online questionnaire about the level of consensus and the researchers' ways of doing in seven areas: Discipline name and concepts, species, Umwelt, technology, data, networking, and the impact of sociocultural and ecological factors. I recruited the opinion of almost a hundred of colleagues worldwide (N = 98), both junior and seniors, working both in the wild and in the lab. While the results were pitted against the literature, general conclusions should be taken with caution and considered as a first attempt in exploring the state of the discipline from the researchers' perspective: There is no unanimity for the discipline's name; 71.4% of the researchers reported there is limited consensus in the definition of relevant concepts (i.e., culture, cognition); primate species still predominate in publications whereas the species selection criteria is sometimes based on fascination, chance, or funding opportunities rather than on biocentric questions; 56.1% of the apparatuses employed do not resemble species' ecological problems, and current tech needs would be solved by fostering collaboration with engineers. Finally, embracing the Open Science paradigm, supporting networking efforts, and promoting diversity in research teams may help in gathering further knowledge in the area. Some suggestions are proposed to overcome the aforementioned problems in this contemporary analysis of our discipline.
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21
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Sato Y, Kitazaki M, Itakura S, Morita T, Sakuraba Y, Tomonaga M, Hirata S. Great apes' understanding of biomechanics: eye-tracking experiments using three-dimensional computer-generated animations. Primates 2021; 62:735-747. [PMID: 34302253 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00932-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Visual processing of the body movements of other animals is important for adaptive animal behaviors. It is widely known that animals can distinguish articulated animal movements even when they are just represented by points of light such that only information about biological motion is retained. However, the extent to which nonhuman great apes comprehend the underlying structural and physiological constraints affecting each moving body part, i.e., biomechanics, is still unclear. To address this, we examined the understanding of biomechanics in bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), following a previous study on humans (Homo sapiens). Apes underwent eye tracking while viewing three-dimensional computer-generated (CG) animations of biomechanically possible or impossible elbow movements performed by a human, robot, or nonhuman ape. Overall, apes did not differentiate their gaze between possible and impossible movements of elbows. However, some apes looked at elbows for longer when viewing impossible vs. possible robot movements, which indicates that they may have had knowledge of biomechanics and that this knowledge could be extended to a novel agent. These mixed results make it difficult to draw a firm conclusion regarding the extent to which apes understand biomechanics. We discuss some methodological features that may be responsible for the results, as well as implications for future nonhuman animal studies involving the presentation of CG animations or measurement of gaze behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaro Sato
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanakasekiden, Sakyo, Kyoto, 6068203, Japan.
| | - Michiteru Kitazaki
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempakucho, Toyohashi, Aichi, 441-8580, Japan
| | - Shoji Itakura
- Center for Baby Science, Doshisha University, 4-1-1 Kizugawadai, Kizugawa, Kyoto, 6190225, Japan
| | - Tomoyo Morita
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 5650871, Japan
| | - Yoko Sakuraba
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanakasekiden, Sakyo, Kyoto, 6068203, Japan
- Center for Research and Education of Wildlife, Kyoto City Zoo, Okazaki Koen, Okazakihoshojicho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 6068333, Japan
| | | | - Satoshi Hirata
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, 2-24 Tanakasekiden, Sakyo, Kyoto, 6068203, Japan
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22
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Huskisson SM, Ross SR, Hopper LM. Do zoo visitors induce attentional bias effects in primates completing cognitive tasks? Anim Cogn 2020; 24:645-653. [PMID: 33156406 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01445-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
While previous research has focused on the impact of visitors on zoo-housed animals' behavior, here, we evaluated the impact of visitors on the performance of four zoo-housed Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in a cognitive task. The macaques completed a touchscreen-based match-to-sample task in glass-sided booths at the perimeter of their enclosure, adjacent to a visitor viewing area. The task was novel to all macaques at the start of this study but over the 6-month testing period the macaques showed increased accuracy on the task, suggestive of learning. We recorded the number of visitors within the viewing area roughly every 12 trials each macaque completed. We categorized visitor counts as small (0-20), medium (21-40), and large (41-60) crowds and we considered the macaques' response latencies and accuracy by crowd size and study period (first 3 months versus second 3 months). If visitor presence negatively influenced performance, we predicted that macaques' accuracy would decrease but response times would increase with crowd size. We found effects of crowd size and study period on the macaques' accuracy. In the first period, the macaques performed at chance and accuracy did not differ across crowd categories. In the second period, the macaques' accuracy improved as compared to the first period, but their accuracy was mediated by crowd size: the macaques were significantly more accurate in the presence of small crowds than medium or large crowds. The macaques' response latencies also varied by study period and crowd size, but we found no evidence of a response-slowing effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Huskisson
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, 60614, USA
| | - Stephen R Ross
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, 60614, USA
| | - Lydia M Hopper
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, 60614, USA.
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