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Author Goto, K.; Wills, A.J.; Lea, S.E.G.
Title (up) Global-feature classification can be acquired more rapidly than local-feature classification in both humans and pigeons Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 109-113
Keywords Adult; Animals; Behavior, Animal/physiology; *Classification; Columbidae/*physiology; *Discrimination Learning; Form Perception; Humans; *Mental Processes; *Pattern Recognition, Visual; Species Specificity
Abstract When humans process visual stimuli, global information often takes precedence over local information. In contrast, some recent studies have pointed to a local precedence effect in both pigeons and nonhuman primates. In the experiment reported here, we compared the speed of acquisition of two different categorizations of the same four geometric figures. One categorization was on the basis of a local feature, the other on the basis of a readily apparent global feature. For both humans and pigeons, the global-feature categorization was acquired more rapidly. This result reinforces the conclusion that local information does not always take precedence over global information in nonhuman animals.
Address School of Psychology, Washington Singer Laboratories, University of Exeter, EX4 4QG, Exeter, UK. K.Goto@exeter.ac.uk
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
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ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15069610 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2530
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Author Hopewell, L.; Leaver, L.; Lea, S.; Wills, A.
Title (up) Grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) show a feature-negative effect specific to social learning Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 219-227
Keywords Feature-negative effect – Grey squirrels – Social learning – Caching
Abstract Abstract  Previous laboratory studies on social learning suggest that some animals can learn more readily if they first observe a conspecific demonstrator perform the task unsuccessfully and so fail to obtain a food reward than if they observe a successful demonstrator that obtains the food. This effect may indicate a difference in how easily animals are able to associate different outcomes with the conspecific or could simply be the result of having food present in only some of the demonstrations. To investigate we tested a scatter-hoarding mammal, the eastern grey squirrel, on its ability to learn to choose between two pots of food after watching a conspecific remove a nut from one of them on every trial. Squirrels that were rewarded for choosing the opposite pot to the conspecific chose correctly more frequently than squirrels rewarded for choosing the same pot (a feature-negative effect). Another group of squirrels was tested on their ability to choose between the two pots when the rewarded option was indicated by a piece of card. This time, squirrels showed no significant difference in their ability to learn to choose the same or the opposite pot. The results add to anecdotal reports that grey squirrels can learn by observing a conspecific and suggest that even when all subjects are provided with demonstrations with the same content, not all learning occurs equally. Prior experience or expectations of the association between a cue (a conspecific) and food influences what can be learned through observation whilst previously unfamiliar cues (the card) can be associated more readily with any outcome.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5108
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Author Sondergaard, E.; Ladewig, J.
Title (up) Group housing exerts a positive effect on the behaviour of young horses during training Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 87 Issue 1-2 Pages 105-118
Keywords Horses; Housing; Human-animal relationship; Social environment; Training; Learning
Abstract In an experiment on the effects of social environment and training on the human-animal relationship, 20 horses were handled according to a defined schedule. Eight horses were housed singly and 12 horses were housed in four groups of 3 horses. Horses were handled three times per week in 10 min sessions from an age of 6 months until 2 years of age during two winter periods. A total of 50 and 70 sessions were given in the first and second period, respectively. Five randomly allocated people performed the training. The training scheme involved leading, tying up, touching, lifting feet, etc. in 43 stages. The horse had to fulfil the performance criteria of each stage in order to get to the next stage. In the first winter period, horses were led to the stable when they had “passed” a stage or after 10 min of training. In the second winter period, horses would start off at stage 1 again, and when they “passed” a stage they went on to the next stage within the same training session. Because of the change in training procedure results were analysed separately for the two winter periods. There was a significant difference between trainers in the number of times they allowed a horse to “pass” a stage within each winter period (χ32, P<0.05; χ32, P<0.001 for the first and the second winter period, respectively). Group housed horses “passed” more stages than single housed horses (17 versus 14; 27 versus 18 in the first and second winter period, respectively; P<0.05 for the interaction). Singly housed horses bit the trainer more frequently than did group housed horses (P<0.01). The responses of group housed horses to training clearly demonstrate the benefits of raising young horses in groups.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 724
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Author Croneya, C.C.
Title (up) Group size and cognitive processes Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 103 Issue 3-4 Pages 15-228
Keywords Group size; Social complexity; Social learning; Cognitive processes
Abstract Animal group sizes may exert important effects on various cognitive mechanisms. Group

size is believed to exert pressures on fundamental brain structures that correlate with the

increased social demands placed on animals living in relatively large, complex and dynamic

social organizations. There is strong experimental evidence connecting social complexity,

social learning and development of other cognitive abilities in a broad range of wild and

domesticated animal species. In particular, group size seems to have significant effects on

animals? abilities to derive concrete and abstract relationships. Here, we review the literature

pertaining to cognitive processes and behaviours of various animal species relative to group

size, with emphasis on social learning. It is suggested that understanding the relationship

between group size and cognition in animals may yield practical animal management

benefits, such as housing and conservation strategies, and may also have implications for

improved animal welfare.
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Corporate Author Ruth C. Newberryb Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
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Notes Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 277
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Author Broucek, J., Uhrincat, M., Kišac, P., Hanus, A..
Title (up) Hair Whorl Position as a Predictor of Learning Ability and Locomotor Behavior in Cattle? Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication ACTA VETERINARIA BRUNENSIS Abbreviated Journal ACTA VET. BRNO
Volume 73 Issue 4 Pages 455-459
Keywords Cattle, hair whorl, reversal learning, open-field
Abstract The aim of our work was to investigate the hypothesis that the speed of solving the maze tests and

locomotor behavior of heifers in open-field tests are affected by the height location of facial whorl.

Fifty-eight Holstein heifers were used. Maze learning was observed at the age of 15 weeks, and an

open-field test was applied at two ages, 16 weeks and 18 months. Whorl placement was recorded by

one person as each heifer entered the scale. The hair whorl position was determined on the basis of

two patterns: A) hair whorl high, middle and low and B) hair whorl high and low. Heifers with a

high hair whorl were the fastest (77.8 ± 84.3 s) and heifers with a middle hair whorl the slowest (87.3

± 100.3 s) in the A pattern during the maze tests. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a high hair whorl

ran across the maze in 84.5 ± 95.2 s and heifers with a low hair whorl in 84.1 ± 97.9 s. The number

of crossed squares in a 5-minute open-field test in the A pattern was the non-significantly highest in

heifers with a high hair whorl (43.4) at the age of 16 weeks. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a

high hair whorl were also more mobile, but neither differences in individual minutes nor in the whole

5 minutes were significant. Heifers with a high hair whorl displayed the strongest locomotory

behavior (37.6 squares) and heifers with a low hair whorl (30.8) were the slowest in the A pattern at

the age of 18 months. The differences were not significant. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a

high hair whorl crossed more squares, but the difference was not significant in comparison with

heifers with a low hair whorl. We found that the time of traversing the maze and the locomotor

activity in open-field test may not be influenced in the dairy cattle by the height facial whorl position
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4321
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Author Regolin, L.; Marconato, F.; Vallortigara, G.
Title (up) Hemispheric differences in the recognition of partly occluded objects by newly hatched domestic chicks (Gallus gallus) Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 7 Issue 3 Pages 162-170
Keywords Animals; Discrimination Learning/physiology; Dominance, Cerebral/*physiology; Female; Form Perception/*physiology; Imprinting (Psychology)/*physiology; Pattern Recognition, Visual/*physiology; Photic Stimulation; Random Allocation; Vision, Monocular/*physiology
Abstract Domestic chicks are capable of perceiving as a whole objects partly concealed by occluders (“amodal completion”). In previous studies chicks were imprinted on a certain configuration and at test they were required to choose between two alternative versions of it. Using the same paradigm we now investigated the presence of hemispheric differences in amodal completion by testing newborn chicks with one eye temporarily patched. Separate groups of newly hatched chicks were imprinted binocularly: (1) on a square partly occluded by a superimposed bar, (2) on a whole or (3) on an amputated version of the square. At test, in monocular conditions, each chick was presented with a free choice between a complete and an amputated square. In the crucial condition 1, chicks tested with only their left eye in use chose the complete square (like binocular chicks would do); right-eyed chicks, in contrast, tended to choose the amputated square. Similar results were obtained in another group of chicks imprinted binocularly onto a cross (either occluded or amputated in its central part) and required to choose between a complete or an amputated cross. Left-eyed and binocular chicks chose the complete cross, whereas right-eyed chicks did not choose the amputated cross significantly more often. These findings suggest that neural structures fed by the left eye (mainly located in the right hemisphere) are, in the chick, more inclined to a “global” analysis of visual scenes, whereas those fed by the right eye seem to be more inclined to a “featural” analysis of visual scenes.
Address Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padova, Italy. lucia.regolin@unipd.it
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
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ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15241654 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2519
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Author Hampton, R.R.; Shettleworth, S.J.
Title (up) Hippocampal lesions impair memory for location but not color in passerine birds Type Journal Article
Year 1996 Publication Behavioral neuroscience Abbreviated Journal Behav Neurosci
Volume 110 Issue 4 Pages 831-835
Keywords Animals; Appetitive Behavior/physiology; Birds/*physiology; Brain Mapping; Color Perception/*physiology; Discrimination Learning/physiology; Hippocampus/*physiology; Long-Term Potentiation/physiology; Mental Recall/*physiology; Orientation/*physiology; Species Specificity
Abstract The effects of hippocampal complex lesions on memory for location and color were assessed in black-capped chickadees (Parus atricapillus) and dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) in operant tests of matching to sample. Before surgery, most birds were more accurate on tests of memory for location than on tests of memory for color. Damage to the hippocampal complex caused a decline in memory for location, whereas memory for color was not affected in the same birds. This dissociation indicates that the avian hippocampus plays an important role in spatial cognition and suggests that this brain structure may play no role in working memory generally.
Address Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0735-7044 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:8864273 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 376
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Author Gabor, V.; Gerken, M.
Title (up) Horses use procedural learning rather than conceptual learning to solve matching to sample Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 126 Issue 3-4 Pages 119-124
Keywords Horses; Concept learning; Visual discrimination; Cognition; Experimental design; Procedural learning
Abstract Research into higher cognitive abilities of the horse may be limited by developing the adequate experimental design. In this study four pony mares between 8 and 19 years old were included. Three of them reached the criterion to be tested in a new design of matching to sample using a black circle and a cross as visual cues attached to an apparatus. The attention was directed to the question of whether the animals are able to concept formation in a given time period or if their decisions depend on other cues or strategies. After familiarization to the testing area and the test procedure, the animals were given 27 sessions of 20 trials each during 14 weeks. While there was no preference for one of the stimuli used, horses showed a significant left sidedness. None of the mares reached the learning criterion of 80% correct answers in one session. However, the ponies showed procedural learning based on correction runs that were given between incorrect decisions, by then selecting the correct stimulus on the other side of the apparatus. This learning type arose in three individuals in session four, six and eleven, respectively. It is concluded that discrimination tasks may be biased by the involvement of unexpected learning strategies, which complicates the interpretation of such tests and may even mask possible conceptualization capabilities.
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Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5157
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Author Lansade, L.; Simon, F.
Title (up) Horses' learning performances are under the influence of several temperamental dimensions Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 125 Issue 1-2 Pages 30-37
Keywords Avoidance task; Equus caballus; Fearfulness; Learning; Personality; Temperament
Abstract Learning performances are influenced by many factors, not only breed, age and sex, but also temperament. The purpose of this study was to understand how different temperamental dimensions affect the learning performance of horses, Equus caballus. First, we carried out a series of behavioural tests on 36 Welsh ponies aged 5-7 years to measure five temperamental dimensions: fearfulness (novel area test and surprise test), gregariousness (social isolation test), reactivity to humans (passive human test), tactile sensitivity (von Frey filament test) and activity level (evaluation of locomotor activity during all the tests). We then presented them with two learning tasks (avoidance and backwards-forwards tasks). In the avoidance task they had to learn to jump over a fence when they heard a sound associated with an aversive stimulus (puff of air). In the backwards-forwards task they had to walk forwards or move backwards in response to a tactile or vocal command to obtain a food reward. There was no correlation between performances on the two learning tasks, indicating that learning ability is task-dependent. However, correlations were found between temperamental data and learning performance (Spearman correlations). The ponies that performed the avoidance task best were the most fearful and the most active ones. For instance, the number of trials required to perform 5 consecutive correct responses (learning criterion) was correlated with the variables aimed at measuring fearfulness (way of crossing a novel area: rs = -0.41, P = 0.01 and time to start eating again after a surprise effect: rs = -0.33, P = 0.05) and activity level (frequency of trotting during all the tests: rs = -0.40, P = 0.02). The animals that performed the backwards-forwards task best were the ones that were the least fearful and the most sensitive. For instance, the learning criterion (corresponding to the number of trials taken to achieve five consecutive correct responses) was correlated with the variables aimed at measuring fearfulness (latency to put one foot on the area: rs = 0.43, P = 0.01; way of crossing a novel area: rs = 0.31, P = 0.06; and time to start eating again after a surprise effect: rs = 0.43, P = 0.009) and tactile sensitivity (response to von Frey filaments: rs = -0.44, P = 0.008). This study revealed significant links between temperament and learning abilities that are highly task-dependent.
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Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5077
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Author Rozempolska-Ruci&#324; ska, Iwona; Trojan, Maciej; Kosik, El&#380; bieta; Próchniak, Tomasz; Górecka-Bruzda, Aleksandra
Title (up) How “natural” training methods can affect equine mental state? A critical approach -- a review Type Journal Article
Year 2013 Publication Animal Science Papers & Reports Abbreviated Journal
Volume 31 Issue 3 Pages 185
Keywords HORSES -- Training; HORSEMANSHIP; HUMAN-animal relationships; LEARNING in animals; ANIMAL psychology; ANIMAL intelligence; ANIMAL welfare
Abstract Among equestrians the “natural” training methods of horses are gaining widespread popularity due to their spectacular efficiency. Underlying philosophy of trainers – founders of different “natural horsemanship training” (NHT) schools, along with other not well documented statements includes argumentation of solely welfare- and human-friendly effects of NHT in the horse. The aim of this review was to screen scientific papers related to NHT to answer the question whether „natural“ training methods may actually exert only positive effects upon equine mental state and human-horse relationship. It appears that NHT trainers may reduce stress and emotional tension and improve learning processes as they appropriately apply learning stimuli. Basing on revised literature it can be concluded that training is successful provided that [i] the strength of the aversive stimulus meets sensitivity of an individual horse, [ii] the aversive stimulus is terminated at a right moment to avoid the impression of punishment, and [iii] the animal is given enough time to assess its situation and make an independent decision in the form of adequate behavioural reaction. Neglecting any of these conditions may lead to substantial emotional problems, hyperactivity, or excessive fear in the horse-human relationship, regardless of the training method. However, we admit that the most successful NHT trainers reduce aversive stimulation to the minimum and that horses learn quicker with fear or stress reactions, apparently decreasing along with training process. Anyway, NHT should be acknowledged for absolutely positive role in pointing out the importance of proper stimulation in the schooling and welfare of horses.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5726
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