Further analysis of a case of social learning in the house mouse (Mus domesticus)

Abstract

Groups of experimentally naive Swiss mice, 20 days old, were exposed to a varying quality of socially transmitted information needed to solve a food-finding problem. The problem consisted of opening a rotating door of an apparatus. Mice that lived with a demonstrator opening the apparatus and mice that lived with an adult manipulating but not opening the apparatus were the most efficient animals in solving the problem. In addition other groups of mice had different nonsocial experiences with the problem. The data indicate that these animals did not improve their ability in performing the task compared with control animals. In essence the present results suggest that mice were capable of learning aspects of the opening techinque by social learning rather than by trial and error.

Behavioral Analysis of Social Effects on the Problem‐Solving Ability in the House Mouse

“…The results of the present study extend an earlier finding that in M. musculus domesticus the acquisition of the ability to solve a composite task is facilitated by social context (Mainardi et al 1986, 1985; Valsecchi et al 1989, 1993). The presence of adult female demonstrators and non‐demonstrators in proximity of the problem apparatus increases the rate of success in juveniles.…”

“…Further investigations focused on the role of the demonstrator (Valsecchi et al. 1989, 1993) and the results led the authors to conclude that the problem‐solving ability was mediated by social learning.…”

“…Further investigations focused on the role of the demonstrator (Valsecchi et al 1989(Valsecchi et al , 1993 and the results led the authors to conclude that the problemsolving ability was mediated by social learning. However, the design of these experiments did not allow the authors to determine whether the observer learned something about the apparatus (i.e.…”

Oral communications

“…The data presented here indicate an effect of the presence of a companion on the behavioural choices of marmoset monkeys in an unfamiliar environment. In particular, the data appear to be in agreement with the «many eyes» hypothesis, which suggests a link between sociality and antipredator behaviour (Caine & Marra, 1988;Pulliam, 1974 In previous researches Valsecchi et al (1989Valsecchi et al ( , 1993 showed that observer mice improved their ability to solve a food-finding problem to a differing extent according to the quality of social context. In contrast, control mice were not capable of individual learning without demonstration.…”

Oral communications

“…In particular, the data appear to be in agreement with the «many eyes» hypothesis, which suggests a link between sociality and antipredator behaviour (Caine & Marra, 1988;Pulliam, 1974). In previous researches Valsecchi et al (1989Valsecchi et al ( , 1993 showed that observer mice improved their ability to solve a food-finding problem to a differing extent according to the quality of social context. In contrast, control mice were not capable of individual learning without demonstration.…”