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Author Hunt, G.R.; Rutledge, R.B.; Gray, R.D.
Title The right tool for the job: what strategies do wild New Caledonian crows use? Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 9 Issue (up) 4 Pages 307-316
Keywords Analysis of Variance; Animals; Comprehension; *Crows; Female; *Intelligence; Male; *Problem Solving; *Tool Use Behavior
Abstract New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides (NC crows) display sophisticated tool manufacture in the wild, but the cognitive strategy underlying these skills is poorly understood. Here, we investigate what strategy two free-living NC crows used in response to a tool-length task. The crows manufactured tools to extract food from vertical holes of different depths. The first tools they made in visits were of a similar length regardless of the hole depth. The typical length was usually too short to extract food from the deep holes, which ruled out a strategy of immediate causal inference on the first attempt in a trial. When the first tool failed, the crows made second tools significantly longer than the unsuccessful first tools. There was no evidence that the crows made the lengths of first tools to directly match hole depth. We argue that NC crows may generally use a two-stage heuristic strategy to solve tool problems and that performance on the first attempt in a trial is not necessarily the 'gold standard' for assessing folk physics.
Address Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. grhunt10@hotmail.com
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:16941156 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2442
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Author Lewis, K.P.; Jaffe, S.; Brannon, E.M.
Title Analog number representations in mongoose lemurs (Eulemur mongoz): evidence from a search task Type Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 8 Issue (up) 4 Pages 247-252
Keywords Analysis of Variance; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; *Feeding Behavior; Female; Lemuridae/*psychology; Male; Mathematics; Odors; Smell/physiology; Time Factors
Abstract A wealth of data demonstrating that monkeys and apes represent number have been interpreted as suggesting that sensitivity to number emerged early in primate evolution, if not before. Here we examine the numerical capacities of the mongoose lemur (Eulemur mongoz), a member of the prosimian suborder of primates that split from the common ancestor of monkeys, apes and humans approximately 47-54 million years ago. Subjects observed as an experimenter sequentially placed grapes into an opaque bucket. On half of the trials the experimenter placed a subset of the grapes into a false bottom such that they were inaccessible to the lemur. The critical question was whether lemurs would spend more time searching the bucket when food should have remained in the bucket, compared to when they had retrieved all of the food. We found that the amount of time lemurs spent searching was indicative of whether grapes should have remained in the bucket, and furthermore that lemur search time reliably differentiated numerosities that differed by a 1:2 ratio, but not those that differed by a 2:3 or 3:4 ratio. Finally, two control conditions determined that lemurs represented the number of food items, and neither the odor of the grapes, nor the amount of grape (e.g., area) in the bucket. These results suggest that mongoose lemurs have numerical representations that are modulated by Weber's Law.
Address Department of Anthropology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15660208 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2497
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Author Carmalt, J.L.; Carmalt, K.P.; Barber, S.M.
Title The effect of occlusal equilibration on sport horse performance Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Journal of Veterinary Dentistry Abbreviated Journal J Vet Dent
Volume 23 Issue (up) 4 Pages 226-230
Keywords Analysis of Variance; Animals; Cross-Over Studies; *Dental Occlusion, Balanced; Horse Diseases/*therapy; Horses; Malocclusion/therapy/*veterinary; Occlusal Adjustment/methods/*veterinary; Prospective Studies; Treatment Outcome
Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of routine dental occlusal equilibration treatment on dressage horse performance. Sixteen horses (11 treated; 5 untreated) ridden by a single rider performed a standardized dressage test twice and were scored by two experienced dressage judges according to recognized movements and rider cues. All horses were sedated and a full-mouth speculum was used to facilitate a complete oral examination. Treated horses had dental equilibration performed using a motorized dental instrument. The horses performed a second test 48-hours after dental equilibration, exactly as the baseline test, with the judges and rider blinded as to treatment group. The total test score as well as the individual movement scores were evaluated for equality of variance and statistical tests were applied to determine the influence of treatment. There was no significant improvement in the test score of horses that had received occlusal equilibration.
Address Scone Veterinary Hospital, NSW, Australia. carmalt_vet@hotmail.com
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0898-7564 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:17286128 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3708
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Author Milgram, N.W.; Head, E.; Muggenburg, B.; Holowachuk, D.; Murphey, H.; Estrada, J.; Ikeda-Douglas, C.J.; Zicker, S.C.; Cotman, C.W.
Title Landmark discrimination learning in the dog: effects of age, an antioxidant fortified food, and cognitive strategy Type Journal Article
Year 2002 Publication Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Abbreviated Journal Neurosci Biobehav Rev
Volume 26 Issue (up) 6 Pages 679-695
Keywords Age Factors; Aging/*physiology; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Antioxidants/*pharmacology; Blood Chemical Analysis/methods; Cognition/*physiology; *Diet; Discrimination Learning/*drug effects/*physiology; Distance Perception/drug effects/physiology; Dogs/physiology; Female; Male; Psychomotor Performance/physiology; Retention (Psychology)/drug effects/physiology; Spatial Behavior/*drug effects/*physiology; Task Performance and Analysis; Time Factors; Vitamin E/blood
Abstract The landmark discrimination learning test can be used to assess the ability to utilize allocentric spatial information to locate targets. The present experiments examined the role of various factors on performance of a landmark discrimination learning task in beagle dogs. Experiments 1 and 2 looked at the effects of age and food composition. Experiments 3 and 4 were aimed at characterizing the cognitive strategies used in performance on this task and in long-term retention. Cognitively equivalent groups of old and young dogs were placed into either a test group maintained on food enriched with a broad-spectrum of antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors, or a control group maintained on a complete and balanced food formulated for adult dogs. Following a wash-in period, the dogs were tested on a series of problems, in which reward was obtained when the animal responded selectively to the object closest to a thin wooden block, which served as a landmark. In Experiment 1, dogs were first trained to respond to a landmark placed directly on top of coaster, landmark 0 (L0). In the next phase of testing, the landmark was moved at successively greater distances (1, 4 or 10 cm) away from the reward object. Learning varied as a function of age group, food group, and task. The young dogs learned all of the tasks more quickly than the old dogs. The aged dogs on the enriched food learned L0 significantly more rapidly than aged dogs on control food. A higher proportion of dogs on the enriched food learned the task, when the distance was increased to 1cm. Experiment 2 showed that accuracy decreased with increased distance between the reward object and landmark, and this effect was greater in old animals. Experiment 3 showed stability of performance, despite using a novel landmark, and new locations, indicating that dogs learned the landmark concept. Experiment 4 found age impaired long-term retention of the landmark task. These results indicate that allocentric spatial learning is impaired in an age-dependent manner in dogs, and that age also affects performance when the distance between the landmark and target is increased. In addition, these results both support a role of oxidative damage in the development of age-associated cognitive dysfunction and indicate that short-term administration of a food enriched with supplemental antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors can partially reverse the deleterious effects of aging on cognition.
Address Life Science Division, University of Toronto at Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough, Ont., Canada M1C 1A4. milgram@psych.utoronto.ca
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0149-7634 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:12479842 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2806
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Author Clayton, H.M.
Title Comparison of the stride kinematics of the collected, medium, and extended walks in horses Type Journal Article
Year 1995 Publication American Journal of Veterinary Research Abbreviated Journal Am J Vet Res
Volume 56 Issue (up) 7 Pages 849-852
Keywords Analysis of Variance; Animals; *Gait; Horses/*physiology; *Locomotion; Motion Pictures; Physical Conditioning, Animal; Walking
Abstract Six horses, highly trained for dressage competition, were used to study the stride kinematics of the walk, and to compare the kinematics of the collected, medium, and extended walks. Horses were filmed in a sagittal plane at a rate of 150 frames/s; temporal, linear, and angular data were extracted from the films. Results of ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test indicated that the speed of the collected walk (1.37 m/s) was significantly (P < 0.01) slower than that of the medium (1.73 m/s) and extended (1.82 m/s) walks, values for which were not significantly different from each other. The increase in speed was associated with a significant increase in stride length, from 157 cm in the collected walk to 193 cm in the extended walk. This was a result of an increase in the over-tracking distance, whereas there was no significant difference in the distance between lateral placements of the limbs. Stride duration decreased (P < 0.01) from the collected walk (1,159 ms) to the extended walk (1,064 ms). Angles of the metacarpal and metatarsal segments, measured on the palmar/ plantar aspect, were higher at impact and lower at lift off in the collected than in the extended walk (P < 0.01). This indicated greater range of angular motion of this segment during the stance phase in the extended walk. Only 1 of the 6 horses had a regular 4-beat rhythm of the footfalls, with equal time elapsing between the lateral and diagonal footfalls.
Address Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Canada
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0002-9645 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:7574149 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3743
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Author Santamaria, S.; Bobbert, M.E.; Back, W.; Barneveld, A.; van Weeren, P.R.
Title Variation in free jumping technique within and among horses with little experience in show jumping Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication American Journal of Veterinary Research Abbreviated Journal Am J Vet Res
Volume 65 Issue (up) 7 Pages 938-944
Keywords *Acceleration; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Biomechanics; Forelimb/physiology; Gait/*physiology; Hindlimb/physiology; Horses/*physiology; Locomotion/*physiology; Models, Biological; Video Recording
Abstract OBJECTIVE: To quantify variation in the jumping technique within and among young horses with little jumping experience, establish relationships between kinetic and kinematic variables, and identify a limited set of variables characteristic for detecting differences in jumping performance among horses. ANIMALS: Fifteen 4-year-old Dutch Warmblood horses. PROCEDURE: The horses were raised under standardized conditions and trained in accordance with a fixed protocol for a short period. Subsequently, horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping over a fence with a height of 1.05 m. RESULTS: Within-horse variation in all variables that quantified jumping technique was smaller than variation among horses. However, some horses had less variation than others. Height of the center of gravity (CG) at the apex of the jump ranged from 1.80 to 2.01 m among horses; this variation could be explained by the variation in vertical velocity of the CG at takeoff (r, 0.78). Horses that had higher vertical velocity at takeoff left the ground and landed again farther from the fence, had shorter push-off phases for the forelimbs and hind limbs, and generated greater vertical acceleration of the CG primarily during the hind limb push-off. However, all horses cleared the fence successfully, independent of jumping technique. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Each horse had its own jumping technique. Differences among techniques were characterized by variations in the vertical velocity of the CG at takeoff. It must be determined whether jumping performance later in life can be predicted from observing free jumps of young horses.
Address Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 12, NL-3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0002-9645 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15281652 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3772
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Author Moses, S.N.; Villate, C.; Ryan, J.D.
Title An investigation of learning strategy supporting transitive inference performance in humans compared to other species Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Neuropsychologia Abbreviated Journal Neuropsychologia
Volume 44 Issue (up) 8 Pages 1370-1387
Keywords Adult; Analysis of Variance; Association Learning/*physiology; *Cognition; *Concept Formation; Female; Humans; *Logic; Male; Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology; Photic Stimulation/methods; Reaction Time/physiology
Abstract Generalizations about neural function are often drawn from non-human animal models to human cognition, however, the assumption of cross-species conservation may sometimes be invalid. Humans may use different strategies mediated by alternative structures, or similar structures may operate differently within the context of the human brain. The transitive inference problem, considered a hallmark of logical reasoning, can be solved by non-human species via associative learning rather than logic. We tested whether humans use similar strategies to other species for transitive inference. Results are crucial for evaluating the validity of widely accepted assumptions of similar neural substrates underlying performance in humans and other animals. Here we show that successful transitive inference in humans is unrelated to use of associative learning strategies and is associated with ability to report the hierarchical relationship among stimuli. Our work stipulates that cross-species generalizations must be interpreted cautiously, since performance on the same task may be mediated by different strategies and/or neural systems.
Address Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, Canada. smoses@rotman-baycrest.on.ca
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0028-3932 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:16503340 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 153
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