Records |
Author |
Joffe, T.H.; Dunbar, R.I. |
Title |
Visual and socio-cognitive information processing in primate brain evolution |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
1997 |
Publication |
Proceedings. Biological Sciences / The Royal Society |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc Biol Sci |
Volume |
264 |
Issue |
1386 |
Pages |
1303-1307 |
Keywords |
Animals; Brain/anatomy & histology/*physiology; Cognition/physiology; *Evolution; Geniculate Bodies/anatomy & histology/physiology; Humans; Mental Processes/physiology; Neocortex/physiology; Primates/anatomy & histology/*physiology/*psychology; *Social Behavior; Visual Cortex/anatomy & histology/physiology |
Abstract |
Social group size has been shown to correlate with neocortex size in primates. Here we use comparative analyses to show that social group size is independently correlated with the size of non-V1 neocortical areas, but not with other more proximate components of the visual system or with brain systems associated with emotional cueing (e.g. the amygdala). We argue that visual brain components serve as a social information 'input device' for socio-visual stimuli such as facial expressions, bodily gestures and visual status markers, while the non-visual neocortex serves as a 'processing device' whereby these social cues are encoded, interpreted and associated with stored information. However, the second appears to have greater overall importance because the size of the V1 visual area appears to reach an asymptotic size beyond which visual acuity and pattern recognition may not improve significantly. This is especially true of the great ape clade (including humans), that is known to use more sophisticated social cognitive strategies. |
Address |
School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK |
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0962-8452 |
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PMID:9332015 |
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no |
Call Number |
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Serial |
2095 |
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Author |
Dunbar, R.I.M.; McAdam, M.R.; O'connell, S. |
Title |
Mental rehearsal in great apes (Pan troglodytes and Pongo pygmaeus) and children |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Behavioural Processes |
Abbreviated Journal |
Behav. Process. |
Volume |
69 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
323-330 |
Keywords |
Algorithms; Animals; Child; Child, Preschool; Food; Frontal Lobe/anatomy & histology/physiology; Humans; *Imagination; Pan troglodytes; Pongo pygmaeus; Problem Solving/*physiology; Psychomotor Performance/physiology; Reward |
Abstract |
The ability to rehearse possible future courses of action in the mind is an important feature of advanced social cognition in humans, and the “social brain” hypothesis implies that it might also be a feature of primate social cognition. We tested two chimpanzees, six orangutans and 63 children aged 3-7 years on a set of four puzzle boxes, half of which were presented with an opportunity to observe the box before being allowed to open it (“prior view”), the others being given without an opportunity to examine the boxes before handling them (“no prior view”). When learning effects are partialled out, puzzle boxes in the “prior view” condition were opened significantly faster than boxes given in the “no prior view” condition by the children, but not by either of the great apes. The three species differ significantly in the speed with which they opened boxes in the “no prior view” condition. The three species' performance on this task was a function of relative frontal lobe volume, suggesting that it may be possible to identify quantitative neuropsychological differences between species. |
Address |
Evolutionary Psychology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK. rimd@liv.ac.uk |
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0376-6357 |
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Notes |
PMID:15896530 |
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no |
Call Number |
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Serial |
2097 |
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Author |
Dunbar, R.I.M. |
Title |
Male and female brain evolution is subject to contrasting selection pressures in primates |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
BMC Biology |
Abbreviated Journal |
BMC Biol |
Volume |
5 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
21 |
Keywords |
Animals; *Brain/physiology; *Evolution; Female; Humans; Male; *Selection (Genetics); *Sex Characteristics |
Abstract |
The claim that differences in brain size across primate species has mainly been driven by the demands of sociality (the “social brain” hypothesis) is now widely accepted. Some of the evidence to support this comes from the fact that species that live in large social groups have larger brains, and in particular larger neocortices. Lindenfors and colleagues (BMC Biology 5:20) add significantly to our appreciation of this process by showing that there are striking differences between the two sexes in the social mechanisms and brain units involved. Female sociality (which is more affiliative) is related most closely to neocortex volume, but male sociality (which is more competitive and combative) is more closely related to subcortical units (notably those associated with emotional responses). Thus different brain units have responded to different selection pressures. |
Address |
British Academy Centenary Research Project, School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. rimd@liv.ac.uk |
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ISSN |
1741-7007 |
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Notes |
PMID:17493267 |
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no |
Call Number |
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Serial |
2100 |
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Author |
Dubois, F.; Giraldeau, L.-A. |
Title |
The forager's dilemma: food sharing and food defense as risk-sensitive foraging options |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2003 |
Publication |
The American Naturalist |
Abbreviated Journal |
Am Nat |
Volume |
162 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
768-779 |
Keywords |
Animals; Competitive Behavior/*physiology; *Environment; Feeding Behavior/*physiology; *Game Theory; *Models, Biological; Population Density; Population Dynamics |
Abstract |
Although many variants of the hawk-dove game predict the frequency at which group foraging animals should compete aggressively, none of them can explain why a large number of group foraging animals share food clumps without any overt aggression. One reason for this shortcoming is that hawk-dove games typically consider only a single contest, while most group foraging situations involve opponents that interact repeatedly over discovered food clumps. The present iterated hawk-dove game predicts that in situations that are analogous to a prisoner's dilemma, animals should share the resources without aggression, provided that the number of simultaneously available food clumps is sufficiently large and the number of competitors is relatively small. However, given that the expected gain of an aggressive animal is more variable than the gain expected by nonaggressive individuals, the predicted effect of the number of food items in a clump-clump richness-depends on whether only the mean or both the mean and variability associated with payoffs are considered. More precisely, the deterministic game predicts that aggression should increase with clump richness, whereas the stochastic risk-sensitive game predicts that the frequency of encounters resulting in aggression should peak at intermediate clump richnesses or decrease with increasing clump richness if animals show sensitivity to the variance or coefficient of variation, respectively. |
Address |
Departement des Sciences Biologiques, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, Case postale 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3P8, Canada. fdubois@u-bourgogne.fr |
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ISSN |
0003-0147 |
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PMID:14737714 |
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no |
Call Number |
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Serial |
2132 |
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Author |
Kendal, R.L.; Coe, R.L.; Laland, K.N. |
Title |
Age differences in neophilia, exploration, and innovation in family groups of callitrichid monkeys |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2005 |
Publication |
American journal of primatology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Am. J. Primatol. |
Volume |
66 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
167-188 |
Keywords |
Age Factors; Analysis of Variance; Animals; *Animals, Zoo; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Callitrichinae/*physiology; *Creativeness; Exploratory Behavior/*physiology; Observation; Social Behavior; Task Performance and Analysis |
Abstract |
The prevailing assumption in the primate literature is that young or juvenile primates are more innovative than adult individuals. This innovative tendency among the young is frequently thought to be a consequence, or side effect, of their increased rates of exploration and play. Conversely, Reader and Laland's [International Journal of Primatology 22:787-806, 2001] review of the primate innovation literature noted a greater reported incidence of innovation in adults than nonadults, which they interpreted as (in part) a reflection of the greater experience and competence of older individuals. Within callitrichids there is contradictory evidence for age differences in response to novel objects, foods, and foraging tasks. By presenting novel extractive foraging tasks to family groups of callitrichid monkeys in zoos, we examined, in a large sample, whether there are positive or negative relationships of age with neophilia, exploration, and innovation, and whether play or experience most facilitates innovation. The results indicate that exploration and innovation (but not neophilia) are positively correlated with age, perhaps reflecting adults' greater manipulative competence. To the extent that there was evidence for play in younger individuals, it did not appear to contribute to innovation. The implications of these findings for the fields of innovation and conservation through reintroduction are considered. |
Address |
Sub-Department of Animal Behavior, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. RachelKendal2003@yahoo.co.uk |
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ISSN |
0275-2565 |
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PMID:15940712 |
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no |
Call Number |
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Serial |
2148 |
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Author |
Mellor, P.S. |
Title |
African horse sickness: transmission and epidemiology |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
1993 |
Publication |
Veterinary Research |
Abbreviated Journal |
Vet Res |
Volume |
24 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
199-212 |
Keywords |
Africa, Northern/epidemiology; African Horse Sickness/epidemiology/*transmission; African horse sickness virus/*physiology; Animals; Arachnid Vectors/microbiology; Ceratopogonidae/*microbiology; Culicidae/microbiology; Horses; Insect Vectors/*microbiology; Portugal/epidemiology; Spain/epidemiology; Ticks/microbiology |
Abstract |
African horse sickness (AHS) virus causes a non-contagious, infectious, arthropod-borne disease of equines and occasionally of dogs. The virus is widely distributed across sub-Saharan African where it is transmitted between susceptible vertebrate hosts by the vectors. These are usually considered to be species of Culicoides biting midges but mosquitoes and/or ticks may also be involved to a greater or lesser extent. Periodically the virus makes excursions beyond its sub-Saharan enzootic zones but until recently does not appear to have been able to maintain itself outside these areas for more than 2-3 consecutive years at most. This is probably due to a number of factors including the apparent absence of a long term vertebrate reservoir, the prevalence and seasonal incidence of the vectors and the efficiency of control measures (vaccination and vector abatement). The recent AHS epizootics in Iberia and N Africa spanning as they do, 5 or more yr, seem to have established a new pattern in AHS virus persistence. This is probably linked to the continuous presence of adult C imicola in the area. Culicoides imicola is basically an Afro-Asiatic insect and prefers warm climates. Therefore its continuous adult presence in parts of Iberia and N Africa may be due to some recent moderations of the climate in these areas. |
Address |
Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright Laboratory, Woking, Surrey, UK |
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0928-4249 |
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PMID:8102076 |
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no |
Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2359 |
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Author |
Zucca, P.; Milos, N.; Vallortigara, G. |
Title |
Piagetian object permanence and its development in Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
Volume |
10 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
243-258 |
Keywords |
Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Birds/*physiology; *Cognition; *Cues |
Abstract |
Object permanence in Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) was investigated using a complete version of the Uzgiris and Hunt scale 1. Nine hand-raised jays were studied, divided into two groups according to their different developmental stages (experiment 1, older jays: 2-3 months old, n = 4; experiment 2, younger jays: 15 days old, n = 5). In the first experiment, we investigated whether older jays could achieve piagetian stage 6 of object permanence. Tasks were administered in a fixed sequence (1-15) according to the protocols used in other avian species. The aim of the second experiment was to check whether testing very young jays before their development of “neophobia” could influence the achievement times of piagetian stages. Furthermore, in this experiment tasks were administered randomly to investigate whether the jays' achievement of stage 6 follows a fixed sequence related to the development of specific cognitive abilities. All jays tested in experiments 1 and 2 fully achieved piagetian stage 6 and no “A not B” errors were observed. Performance on visible displacement tasks was better than performance on invisible ones. The results of experiment 2 show that “neophobia” affected the response of jays in terms of achievement times; the older jays in experiment 1 took longer to pass all the tasks when compared with the younger, less neophobic, jays in experiment 2. With regard to the achieving order, jays followed a fixed sequence of acquisition in experiment 2, even if tasks were administered randomly, with the exception of one subject. The results of these experiments support the idea that piagetian stages of cognitive development exist in avian species and that they progress through relatively fixed sequences. |
Address |
Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Animal Cognition and Comparative Neuroscience, Via S. Anastasio 12, 34100, Trieste, Italy. zucca@units.it |
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1435-9448 |
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PMID:17242935 |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2423 |
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Author |
Anderson, J.R.; Kuwahata, H.; Fujita, K. |
Title |
Gaze alternation during “pointing” by squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)? |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
Volume |
10 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
267-271 |
Keywords |
*Animal Communication; Animals; *Attention; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; *Cues; Female; Humans; *Learning; Male; Saimiri/*physiology |
Abstract |
Gaze alternation (GA) is considered a hallmark of pointing in human infants, a sign of intentionality underlying the gesture. GA has occasionally been observed in great apes, and reported only anecdotally in a few monkeys. Three squirrel monkeys that had previously learned to reach toward out-of-reach food in the presence of a human partner were videotaped while the latter visually attended to the food, a distractor object, or the ceiling. Frame-by-frame video analysis revealed that, especially when reaching toward the food, the monkeys rapidly and repeatedly switched between looking at the partner's face and the food. This type of GA suggests that the monkeys were communicating with the partner. However, the monkeys' behavior was not influenced by changes in the partner's focus of attention. |
Address |
Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK. jra1@stir.ac.uk |
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1435-9448 |
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PMID:17242934 |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2424 |
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Author |
Parejo, D.; Aviles, J.M. |
Title |
Do avian brood parasites eavesdrop on heterospecific sexual signals revealing host quality? A review of the evidence |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
Volume |
10 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
81-88 |
Keywords |
Animals; Birds/*parasitology/*physiology; *Host-Parasite Relations; *Nesting Behavior |
Abstract |
Eavesdropping can be defined as the extraction of information from the interactions between other individuals. It provides a relatively cheap way of gathering relevant information for fitness enhancement. Here, we propose that obligate avian brood parasites, which always lay their eggs in foreign nests of individuals of other species, may eavesdrop on their host sexual signals to locate nests of high quality individuals in which to lay their parasitic eggs. Sexual signal variation can honestly signal parental quality. Thus, by eavesdropping on sexual signals, parasites may select high quality foster parents for their own offspring. Such a use of sexual signals within host populations by brood parasites differs from signal exploitation theory that proposes that parasite only use signals to locate potential host independently from signaller quality. Here, we review the avian literature concerning host choice within a host species by obligate avian brood parasites and find evidence for host selection within individuals of a host species on the basis of cues potentially functioning as sexually selected traits, or at least revealing parental abilities. We have also found support for the existence of benefits linked to host selection by avian brood parasites. Finally, one study reported on the attenuation of a sexual ornament in host populations under strong pressure by brood parasites. Most of these findings have been interpreted as evidence for host selection by avian brood parasites based on the conspicuousness of sexual signals. We suggest, however, that these findings may in fact reveal eavesdropping on host signalling performance by brood parasites which would use the information extracted to choose the better individuals among conspecifics of a given host. This provides a new perspective for the study of host selection in obligate brood parasites, and raises interesting questions for the study of animal cognition that would deserve experimental studies. |
Address |
Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Estacion Experimental de Zonas Aridas, C.S.I.C. C/General Segura 1, 04001, Almeria, Spain. parejo@eeza.csic.es |
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1435-9448 |
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PMID:17180699 |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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2426 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Bard, K.A. |
Title |
Neonatal imitation in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) tested with two paradigms |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
Volume |
10 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
233-242 |
Keywords |
Animal Communication; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Imitative Behavior/*physiology; Pan troglodytes/*physiology/*psychology; Problem Solving/physiology |
Abstract |
Primate species differ in their imitative performance, perhaps reflecting differences in imitative capacity. The developmentally earliest form of imitation in humans, neonatal imitation, occurs in early interactions with social partners, and may be a more accurate index of innate capacity than imitation of actions on objects, which requires more cognitive ability. This study assessed imitative capacity in five neonatal chimpanzees, within a narrow age range (7-15 days of age), by testing responses to facial and vocal actions with two different test paradigms (structured and communicative). Imitation of mouth opening was found in both paradigms. In the communicative paradigm, significant agreement was found between infant actions and demonstrations. Additionally, chimpanzees matched the sequence of three actions of the TC model, but only on the second demonstration. Newborn chimpanzees matched more modeled actions in the communicative test than in the structured paradigm. These performances of chimpanzees, at birth, are in agreement with the literature, supporting a conclusion that imitative capacity is not unique to the human species. Developmental histories must be more fully considered in the cross-species study of imitation, as there is a greater degree of innate imitative capacity than previously known. Socialization practices interact with innate and developing competencies to determine the outcome of imitation tests later in life. |
Address |
Centre for the Study of Emotion, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, UK. kim.bard@port.ac.uk |
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1435-9448 |
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PMID:17180698 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2427 |
Permanent link to this record |