Personality and problem-solving in common mynas (Acridotheres tristis)

Lermite, Françoise; Peneaux, Chloe; Griffin, Andrea S.

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2016.09.013

Cited by 34 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This finding is in contrast to previous studies, suggesting that faster exploring individuals were more successful problem solvers than slower explorers [3,5,30,33,90]. However, in common mynas ( Acridotheres tristis ), more explorative individuals were slower problem solvers than less explorative individuals [23], whereas in great tits ( Parus major ) more explorative individuals did not differ in problem-solving performance from less explorative individuals [91]. Differences in this relationship might be the result of differences in assessing personality traits [75].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 89%

“…While open field and novel object tests are common tests to measure animals’ explorative and neophilic tendencies, there is variation in how personality tests are conducted. For example, in common mynas, novel object tests were conducted directly in the familiar aviary [23], in carib grackles ( Quiscalus lugubris ), open field tests were conducted directly after capture [3], whereas in great tits open field tests were conducted in the following morning after capture [91]. Hence, the level of familiarization with the new environment may influence the outcome of these tests, which may also explain variation in personality traits between our and the previous study [49].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Are generalists more innovative than specialists? A comparison of innovative abilities in two wild sympatric mouse lemur species

Malsburg

Fichtel

2018

R. Soc. open sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The propensity to flexibly innovate behavioural variants might advantage animals when dealing with novel or modified ecological or social challenges. Interspecific innovative abilities can be predicted by the degree of ecological generalism and intraspecific variation is predicted by personality traits. To examine the effects of these factors on innovation, we compared problem-solving abilities in the generalist grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) and the more specialized Madame Berthe's mouse lemurs (Microcebus berthae) in western Madagascar. We examined personality traits by testing 54 individuals in open field and novel object tests, and we assessed problem-solving abilities by presenting an artificial feeding-box that could be opened by three different techniques. The first two techniques presented novel problems and the third technique a modified problem to the more complex second novel problem. In both species, motivation, early success and better inhibitory control characterized innovators and predicted superior problem-solving performance. Although both species performed equally well in finding a solution to the novel problems, the specialist species was more efficient in finding a novel solution to a familiar problem. Since the ecological specialist also exhibited more inhibitory control in this task than the generalist, we propose that specialists may dispose of more efficient problem-solving behaviour.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are generalists more innovative than specialists? A comparison of innovative abilities in two wild sympatric mouse lemur species

Malsburg

Fichtel

2018

R. Soc. open sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Numerous animal species are now known to display consistent individual variation in behaviour across time and contexts. This individual variation is known to have a wide-ranging impact onanimals, including on measures of fitness and welfare (Dall et al, 2004;Dingemanse & Wolf, 2010;Gosling, 2001;McCowan et al, 2014) and cognition (Lermite et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in longitudinal personality stability in chimpanzees

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Personality factors analogous to the Big Five observed in humans are present in the great apes. However, few studies have examined the long-term stability of great ape personality, particularly using factor-based personality instruments. Here, we assessed overall group, and individual-level, stability of chimpanzee personality by collecting ratings for chimpanzees (N = 50) and comparing them with ratings collected approximately 10 years previously, using the same personality scale. The overall mean scores of three of the six factors differed across the two time points. Sex differences in personality were also observed, with overall sex differences found for three traits, and males and females showing different trajectories for two further traits over the 10 year period. Regardless of sex, rank-order stability analysis revealed strong stability for dominance; individuals who were dominant at the first time point were also dominant 10 years later. The other personality factors exhibited poor to moderate rank-order stability, indicating that individuals were variable in their rank-position consistency over time. As many studies assessing chimpanzee cognition rely on personality data collected several years prior to testing, these data highlight the importance of collecting current personality data when correlating them with cognitive performance.

show abstract

“…The present study revealed that mynas consuming higher amounts of HP foods were more exploratory when confronted with a novel environment. Moreover, individual's tendency to explore a novel space is a repeatable trait in mynas (Lermite et al ). To reduce the impacts of behaviour unrelated to exploration during this open‐field test, specific methodologies were used (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To reduce the impacts of behaviour unrelated to exploration during this open‐field test, specific methodologies were used (i.e. individuals were not food deprived and were free to exit home cage) to limit the expression of stress‐related responses and facilitate information acquisition (Dingemanse et al , Mettke‐Hofmann et al , but see discussions in Carter et al and Lermite et al ). Together, these findings suggest that mynas with higher exploratory tendencies are likely to be more sensitive to dietary fluctuations in protein.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tasting novel foods and selecting nutrient content in a highly successful ecological invader, the common myna

Peneaux

Machovsky‐Capuska

Raubenheimer

et al. 2017

Journal of Avian Biology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Invasion success is dependent on the ability of a species to discover and exploit novel food resources. Within this context, individuals must be willing to taste novel foods. They must also be capable of evaluating the nutritional content of new foods, and selecting their relative intake in order to fulfil their nutritional needs. Whereas the former capacity is well studied, little is known about the latter capacity. First, using the common myna as a model avian invader species, we quantified the willingness of mynas to taste novel foods relative to familiar ones. Mynas readily tasted high protein (HP) novel foods and consumed them in higher quantities compared to a familiar food. Data showed that at three different levels – mixes, ingredients and macronutrients – intake could not be explained by a random model. In experiment 2, we confirmed that mynas were making their selection based on protein (P) content rather than a selection for novelty per se. When given the choice of three equally unfamiliar foods, mynas again ate disproportionately from the high protein relative to high lipid and high carbohydrate foods. Analysis revealed that mynas consumed amounts of protein that were closer to the ones in their natural diet. Finally, in experiment 3, we measured inter‐individual variation in innovation and exploration propensities, and examined associations with inter‐individual variation in consumption of specific macronutrients. This analysis revealed that individuals that selected HP pellets were more exploratory and individuals that selected HC pellets were quicker to solve the innovative foraging task. These findings indicate that not only the willingness to taste novel foods, but also the capacity to evaluate their nutritional content, might be central to the myna's substantial ecological success.

show abstract

Personality and problem-solving in common mynas (Acridotheres tristis)

Cited by 34 publications

References 44 publications

Are generalists more innovative than specialists? A comparison of innovative abilities in two wild sympatric mouse lemur species

Are generalists more innovative than specialists? A comparison of innovative abilities in two wild sympatric mouse lemur species

Sex differences in longitudinal personality stability in chimpanzees

Tasting novel foods and selecting nutrient content in a highly successful ecological invader, the common myna

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About