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Galef BG, J., & Giraldeau, L. A. (2001). Social influences on foraging in vertebrates: causal mechanisms and adaptive functions. Anim. Behav., 61(1), 3–15.
Abstract: We summarize 20 years of empirical and theoretical research on causes and functions of social influences on foraging by animals. We consider separately studies of social influence on when, where, what and how to eat. Implicit in discussion of the majority of studies is our assumption that social influences on foraging reflect a biasing of individual learning processes by social stimuli rather than action of independent social-learning mechanisms. Our review of theoretical approaches suggests that the majority of formally derived hypotheses concerning functions of social influence on foraging have not yet been tested adequately and many models are in need of further refinement. We also consider the importance to the future of the field of integrating 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approaches to the study of social learning. Copyright 2001 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
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Noirot, E., & Richards, M. P. M. (1966). Maternal behaviour in virgin female golden hamsters: Changes consequent upon initial contact with pups. Anim. Behav., 14(1), 7–10.
Abstract: Summary Initial contact with pups of a certain age causes changes in virgin female hamsters' behaviour with pups of another age. This was shown by comparing the behaviour with 5-day-old pups in groups of naive (control) animals and of animals given one previous contact either with 1, 5 or 9-day-old pups. Maternal responses were more intense in the animals previously presented with 1 or 9-day-old pups than in the control animals. Attacking was increased after initial contact with 1-day-old pups and decreased after initial contact with 9-day-old pups. Animals presented twice with the same pattern did not show marked changes in either of the two activities.
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Berger, A., Scheibe, K. - M., Eichhorn, K., Scheibe, A., & Streich, J. (1999). Diurnal and ultradian rhythms of behaviour in a mare group of Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii), measured through one year under semi-reserve conditions. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 64(1), 1–17.
Abstract: Investigations were conducted on four horses from a group of 12 Przewalski mares raised in different zoos and kept in a 44-ha enclosure under semi-natural conditions. Activity and feeding were continuously measured every second and were saved every 15 min by the storage-telemetry system ETHOSYS, from June 1995 to July 1996. Body mass of the horses was regularly recorded. Daily and monthly mean values, power spectra and DFC (as a measure for stability of rhythms synchronised with circadiurnal period) for activity and feeding were calculated. The general pattern of activity and feeding over the year was closely related to sunrise and sunset. Feeding accounted for 40% of total activity in summer and 62% in spring (all-year average being 52%). The level of activity was lowest in winter; whereas feeding was lowest in summer. The time budget for feeding reflected both feeding conditions and the annual pattern of body condition. Greatest activity occurred during daylight hours. Only on hot summer days, activity at night was higher than during daylight hours. Spectral analysis of activity and feeding in Przewalski horse showed a time pattern which was characterised by 24-h rhythmicity, but also by ultradian components with period lengths between 4.8 and 12 h, i.e., an activity pattern of up to five strong bouts per day. Annual variation in the pattern of power spectra was not high during the year. Results are discussed in connection with horse feeding strategy. Analysing the time structure of long-term and continuously measured activity and feeding could be a useful method to follow the general living conditions, especially the nutritional situation and to detect stressful conditions.
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Pickerel, T. M., Crowell-Davis, S. L., Caudle, A. B., & Estep, D. Q. (1993). Sexual preference of mares (Equus caballus) for individual stallions. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 38(1), 1–13.
Abstract: Eight mares were tested to determine if they remained near one of two stallions longer than would be expected if association was random. Six stallions were paired in 30 combinations and each mare was tested 30 times. The mares (Equus caballus) demonstrated a definite preference for individual stallions throughout the breeding season. This preference was influenced by the estrous state of the mare. During estrus, mares' preferences for stallions were positively correlated with the rate at which a given stallion vocalized. During diestrus, mares spent significantly less time in the proximity of stallions and did not exhibit any preference for individual stallions.
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Hall, C., Crowell-Davis, S. L., & Warren, R. J. (1993). Maternal and developmental behavior of the feral horses of Cumberland Island, Georgia. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 37(1), 85.
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Rapaport, L., & King, N. E. (1987). The behavioral research program at the Washington Park Zoo. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 18(1), 57–66.
Abstract: For the past decade, the Washington Park Zoo, Portland, Oregon, has had an active behavioral research program. The research department is both a zoo-supported research facility for visiting researchers and staff, and an educational facility that teaches practical behavioral research methods to undergraduates. The research education program utilizes students from any of a dozen local colleges and universities. Students receive academic credit for their participation. Active keeper-participation plays a major role in many research projects. Not only does keeper-cooperation facilitate research, but their knowledge of the individual animals often proves invaluable. In addition to involvement in student projects, keepers have also conducted their own research projects.
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Silk, J. B. (1999). Male bonnet macaques use information about third-party rank relationships to recruit allies. Anim. Behav., 58(1), 45–51.
Abstract: Social challenges may have driven the evolution of intelligence in primates and other taxa. In primates, the social intelligence hypothesis is supported by evidence that primates know a lot about their own relationships to others and also know something about the nature of relationships among other individuals (third-party relationships). Knowledge of third-party relationships is likely to play an especially important role in coalitions, which occur when one individual intervenes in an ongoing dispute involving other group members, by helping individuals to predict who will support or intervene against them when they are fighting with particular opponents, and to assess which potential allies are likely to be effective in coalitions against their opponents. To date, however, there is no evidence that primates make use of knowledge of third-party relationships when they form coalitions. Here, I show that male bonnet macaques, Macaca radiata , use information about third-party rank relationships when they recruit support from other males. Males consistently chose allies that outranked themselves and their opponents, and made such choices considerably more often than would be expected by chance alone. The analysis shows that the data do not fit simpler explanations based upon males' knowledge of their own relationships to other males or males' ability to recognize powerful allies.
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Hohmann, G., & Fruth, B. (2000). Use and function of genital contacts among female bonobos. Anim. Behav., 60(1), 107–120.
Abstract: Female bonobos, Pan paniscus, show a mounting behaviour that differs physically from that in other primate species. They embrace each other ventroventrally and rub their genital swellings against each other. We investigated five hypotheses on the function of ventroventral mounting (genital contacts) that derive from previous studies of both primate and nonprimate species: (1) reconciliation; (2) mate attraction; (3) tension regulation; (4) expression of social status; and (5) social bonding. We collected data in six field seasons (1993-1998) from members of a habituated, unprovisioned community of wild bonobos at Lomako, Democratic Republic of Congo. No single hypothesis could account for the use of genital contacts, which appeared to be multifunctional. We found support for hypotheses 1 and 3. Rates of postconflict genital contacts exceeded preconflict rates suggesting that the display is used in the context of reconciliation. Rates of genital contacts were high when food could be monopolized and tension was high. However, genital contacts also occurred independently of agonistic encounters. Our study shows rank-related asymmetries in initiation and performance of genital contacts supporting the social status hypothesis: low-ranking females solicited genital contacts more often than high-ranking females while the latter were more often mounter than mountee. Although subordinates took more initiative to achieve genital contact, dominants mostly responded to the solicitation (ventral presentation) with mounting, indicating that the performance benefits both individuals. We suggest that genital contacts can be used to investigate both quality and dynamics of dyadic social relationships among female bonobos. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
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Abeyesinghe, S. M., Nicol, C. J., Hartnell, S. J., & Wathes, C. M. (2005). Can domestic fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus, show self-control? Anim. Behav., 70(1), 1–11.
Abstract: An important aspect of cognition is whether animals live exclusively in the present or can anticipate the future. Defined as self-control, the ability to choose a large, remote reinforcer over a small, proximate reinforcer available at the same frequency has been examined in a number of species, often proving difficult to demonstrate. We investigated self-control for food in domestic fowl using a standard two-key operant task and an equivalent two-choice return maze (TCRM) task. When hens chose between a 2-s delay to a 3-s feed access (impulsive) and a 6-s delay to a 7-s feed access (self-control), they appeared unable to discriminate in the TCRM but were impulsive in the operant task. We explored reasons for not choosing self-control in the operant task, first by examining the relation between feed access time and actual feed intake. A second operant experiment examined whether failure to show self-control could be attributed to an inability to combine the delay and access (quantity) reward information associated with choices to reach overall predictions of value. New hens chose between a 2-s delay to a 3-s feed access (impulsive) and either a 22-s delay to a 22-s feed access (standard self-control) or a 6-s delay to a 22-s feed access (jackpot self-control). While hens were impulsive in the standard condition, they showed significant and pronounced self-control in the jackpot condition, eliminating the possibility of an absolute cognitive constraint. Impulsive behaviour can instead be explained by temporal discounting: perceived depreciation of reward value as a function of the uncertainty associated with delay. Implications for welfare are discussed.
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Duncan, I. J. H., & Petherick, J. C. (1989). Proceeding (Paper presented at the Winter Meeting of the Society for Veterinary Ethology, London, Great Britain, 30 November 1988)Cognition: The implications for animal welfare. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 24(1), 81–1010.
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