Neophobia and Dietary Conservatism:Two Distinct Processes?

Marples, Nicola M.; Kelly, David

doi:10.1023/a:1011077731153

Cited by 175 publications

(151 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…As the stimuli in each case are generally roughly comparable in their size and appearance, it seems that this difference between avoidance and attraction depends upon the context. The finding is not wholly consistent with dietary conservatism being an overriding factor (Marples and Mappes, 2011;Marples and Kelly, 1999), as this would always predict avoidance of novelty.…”

Section: Achromatic Contrast In Visual Displaysmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Darwin (Darwin, 1871) argued that these displays are attractive to potential mates, whereas Müller's (Müller, 1879) work on butterfly mimicry suggests that colorful aposematic signals facilitate learning by predators (Halpin et al, 2008;Riipi et al, 2001;Roper and Redston, 1987;Stevens and Ruxton, 2012). High contrast patterns also promote unlearnt wariness -or neophobia Marples and Kelly, 1999;Rowe and Guilford, 1999). Thus, high contrast patterns and bright colors are important in both positive and negative innate responses and in learning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Visual contrast and color in rapid learning of novel patterns by chicks

Zylinski

Osorio

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYBiological communication signals often combine bright and dark colors, such as yellow and black, but it is unclear why such patterns are effective. The literature on aposematism suggests that high contrast patterns may be easily learnt or innately avoided, whereas studies of sexual signaling refer to their attractiveness or to their cost. Here, in experiments with poultry chicks trained to find food in patterned containers, we confirm that elevated contrast dramatically increases the rate of initial attack on novel stimuli, but this response is labile. The chicks pecked once at a novel unrewarded stimulus and then ignored it for at least 24h. Such single trial learning has not previously been reported for birds without a positively aversive unconditioned stimulus such as quinine. We then tested and rejected two hypotheses about the function of high contrast patterns: first that the preferential responses are due to novelty, and second that elevated contrast enhances learning about a novel color. More generally, the observations are consistent with the idea that elevated contrast attracts attention, thereby enhancing both initial responses -whether positive or negative -and the rate of learning.

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Section: Achromatic Contrast In Visual Displaysmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visual contrast and color in rapid learning of novel patterns by chicks

Zylinski

Osorio

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Unlearned wariness of aposematic prey may also involve dietary conservatism (Marples et al 2005), which differs from neophobia by considerably longer duration (Marples et al 1998;Marples & Kelly 1999) and more difficult deactivation by experience (Marples et al 2007). Because the level of dietary conservatism varies greatly among conspecific individuals (Marples et al 1998), it is possible that it may be linked with personality-a hypothesis to be tested.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Personality matters: individual variation in reactions of naive bird predators to aposematic prey

et al. 2009

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Variation in reactions to aposematic prey is common among conspecific individuals of bird predators. It may result from different individual experience but it also exists among naive birds. This variation may possibly be explained by the effect of personality-a complex of correlated, heritable behavioural traits consistent across contexts. In the great tit (Parus major), two extreme personality types have been defined. 'Fast' explorers are bold, aggressive and routine-forming; 'slow' explorers are shy, non-aggressive and innovative. Influence of personality type on unlearned reaction to aposematic prey, rate of avoidance learning and memory were tested in naive, hand-reared great tits from two opposite lines selected for exploration (slow against fast). The birds were subjected to a sequence of trials in which they were offered aposematic adult firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus). Slow birds showed a greater degree of unlearned wariness and learned to avoid the firebugs faster than fast birds. Although birds of both personality types remembered their experience, slow birds were more cautious in the memory test. We conclude that not only different species but also populations of predators that differ in proportions of personality types may have different impacts on survival of aposematic insects under natural conditions.

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“…Here, comparison between the two diffusion curves is particularly informative. Wild birds presented with novel-colored foods (Marples & Kelly, 1999;Marples, Roper, & Harper, 1998) were extremely variable in their responses, with some accepting novel-colored bait immediately, whereas others took hundreds of trials ( Figure 9). Such individual variation is widespread (Galef & Wright, 1995) and has been shown to be heritable (Marples & Brakefield, 1995).…”

Section: Empirical Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

Distinguishing social and asocial learning using diffusion dynamics

Reader

2004

Learning & Behavior

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Theoretical models predict that the cumulative number of individuals displaying a socially learned novel behavior will follow an accelerating pattern over time, whereas asocial processes have been associated with linear or decelerating functions. This raises the possibility that the shape of the diffusion curve may reveal something about the learning processes involved. If true, this would be particularly useful for identifying social transmission in observational field studies. Published data are reviewed and are found to provide limited support for this view. The use of accelerating curves as a diagnostic is challenging because (1) alternative theoretical models make similar predictions, (2) clear supporting empirical data are lacking, and (3) practical considerations frequently make accurate construction of the diffusion curve difficult.

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Neophobia and Dietary Conservatism:Two Distinct Processes?

Cited by 175 publications

References 17 publications

Visual contrast and color in rapid learning of novel patterns by chicks

Visual contrast and color in rapid learning of novel patterns by chicks

Personality matters: individual variation in reactions of naive bird predators to aposematic prey

Distinguishing social and asocial learning using diffusion dynamics

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