|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author (up) Barnard, C.J.; Luo, N.
Title Acquisition of dominance status affects maze learning in mice Type Journal Article
Year 2002 Publication Behavioural Processes Abbreviated Journal Behav. Process.
Volume 60 Issue 1 Pages 53-59
Keywords Social status; Learning; Radial maze; Mouse
Abstract Learning is likely to be costly and thus subject to trade-off with other components of life history. An obvious prediction, therefore, is that investment in learning, and thus learning performance, will vary with individual life history strategy and the reproductive value of the learning outcome. We tested this idea in the context of social dominance in male laboratory mice, using a simple radial maze paradigm to compare the ability of high- and low-ranking male mice to track changing food location. We tested animals in randomly selected pairs before and after establishing aggressive rank relationships to distinguish intrinsic differences in learning ability from those attributable to acquiring high or low rank. There was no difference in learning between later dominants and subordinates prior to establishing rank relationships. After pairing, however, dominants showed a significantly greater percentage of correct responses, with the difference being greatest earlier in a sequence of trials. The percentage of correct responses also increased with the amount of aggression initiated during pairing. The results thus appeared to reflect a state-dependent change in learning associated with the aggressive social relationships formed during pairing.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 2075
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Barnard, C.J.; Sibly, R.M.
Title Producers and scroungers: A general model and its application to captive flocks of house sparrows Type Journal Article
Year 1981 Publication Animal Behaviour. Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.
Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 543-550
Keywords
Abstract Many forms of interaction within and between species appear to be based on `scrounger' individuals or species exploiting a limited resource provided `producers'. A mathematical model is presented which shows whether or not scroungers are maintained in a group, depending on their frequency and the group size. Some of the predictions of the model were tested in captive flocks of house sparrows Passer domesticus L. Here the scroungers obtained most of their food (mealworms) by interaction and the producers found most of their food by actively foraging: the pay-off to each type was measured as mealworm capture rate. Neither type changed strategy opportunistically in response to instantaneous flock composition but, not surprisingly, scroungers fared better when one of more producers were present. However, scrougers did much worse than expected when greatly outnumbered by producers, perhaps because producers then found the available food very quickly.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4200
Permanent link to this record