Proactive common waxbills make fewer mistakes in a cognitive assay, the detour-reaching task

Gomes, Antony; Guerra, Soraia; Silva, Paulo A.; Marques, C; Trigo, Sandra; Boogert, Neeltje J.; Cardoso, Gonçalo C.

doi:10.1007/s00265-020-2809-2

Cited by 32 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 101 publications

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“…However, unlike in previous studies, the first PC of a PCA on these four behaviours was little influenced by the time facing the mirror (trait loading: −0.330; in all previous work using mirror tests on waxbill, the absolute value of the trait loading for time facing the mirror on PC1 has been >0.70; Carvalho et al, 2013;Funghi et al, 2015;Gomes et al, 2020). Instead, time facing the mirror weighed heavily on the second PC (trait loading: −0.847).…”

Section: Mirror Testcontrasting

confidence: 62%

“…The behaviour of the bird was filmed for 10 min: the first 5 min with the mirror covered and the following 5 min with the mirror exposed, which was done by pulling the cardboard cover off using a transparent wire from outside the room. As in previous studies with this species, waxbills did not react aggressively towards the mirror image (Carvalho et al, 2013;Funghi et al, 2015;Gomes et al, 2020) and, therefore, this test assays more general social responses. This makes sense for a non-territorial and highly gregarious species such as the waxbill (Clement et al, 1993).…”

Section: Mirror Testsupporting

confidence: 50%

“…All previous studies subjecting common waxbills to a mirror test found that, amongst behaviours that differed from before to after exposing the mirror, all activity-related behaviours and time looking at the mirror weighed heavily in a first PC, but with opposing signal (Carvalho et al, 2013;Funghi et al, 2015;Gomes et al, 2020). We thus expected to obtain a first PC that discriminated proactive responses (birds reacting actively to the mirror image but not looking for long periods in its direction) from reactive responses (birds that were less active but more attentive to the mirror image).…”

Section: Mirror Testmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…We conducted mirror tests as they are a good proxy for behavioural differences among individuals, are consistent over extended periods of time in common waxbills (Funghi et al, 2015;Gomes et al, 2020), and also predict differences in exploration behaviour (Carvalho et al, 2013). The mirror test was conducted in a small cage (24.5 cm×17.5 cm×16 cm) with three equally distanced perches.…”

Section: Mirror Testmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After manipulation of the DAergic pathways, namely the D1-like and D2-like receptor families, we tested waxbills with a mirror test, a social assay that robustly assesses personality type in waxbills. Individual differences in these assays are consistent over extended periods of time (Funghi et al, 2015;Gomes et al, 2020), and they also predict individual differences in exploration (Carvalho et al, 2013). We also tested waxbills with a general activity assay after food deprivation, in an environment with a food source and a novel object, which is also often used as a personality assay in other species (Amy et al, 2017;Boogert et al, 2006;Mettke-Hofmann, 2012;Réale et al, 2007), as the DAergic system is involved in the reward and motivational aspects of feeding (Bello and Hajnal, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Experimental evidence for a role of dopamine on avian personality traits

Silva

Trigo

Marques

et al. 2020

Journal of Experimental Biology

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There is increasing interest in the genetic and physiological bases of behavioural differences among individuals, namely animal personality. One particular dopamine (DA) receptor gene (the dopamine receptor D4 gene) has been used as candidate gene to explain personality differences, but with mixed results. Here, we used an alternative approach, exogenously manipulating the dopaminergic system and testing for effects on personality assays in a social bird species, the common waxbill (Estrilda astrild). We treated birds with agonists and antagonists for DA receptors of both D1 and D2 receptor pathways (the latter includes the D4 receptor) and found that short-term manipulation of DA signalling had an immediate effect on personalityrelated behaviours. In an assay of social responses (mirror test), manipulation of D2 receptor pathways reduced time spent looking at the social stimulus (mirror image). Blocking D2 receptors reduced motor activity in this social assay, while treatment with a D2 receptor agonist augmented activity in this social assay but reduced activity in a nonsocial behavioural assay. Also, in the non-social assay, treatment with the D1 receptor antagonist markedly increased time spent at the feeder. These results show distinct and context-specific effects of the dopaminergic pathways on waxbill personality traits. Our results also suggest that experimental manipulation of DA signalling can disrupt a behavioural correlation (more active individuals being less attentive to mirror image) that is habitually observed as part of a behavioural syndrome in waxbills. We discuss our results in the context of animal personality, and the role of the DA system in reward and social behaviour.

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Section: Mirror Testcontrasting

confidence: 62%

Section: Mirror Testsupporting

confidence: 50%

Section: Mirror Testmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Mirror Testmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Experimental evidence for a role of dopamine on avian personality traits

Silva

Trigo

Marques

et al. 2020

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Long-term effects of prenatal sound experience on songbird behavior and their relation to song learning

Katsis

Buchanan

Kleindorfer

et al. 2021

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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The gullible genius: fast learners fall for fake news

Gavriilidi

Baeckens

Meester

et al. 2021

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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In many animals, decision-making is influenced by social learning, i.e. the acquisition of insights through the observation of other individuals' behaviours. In cases where such socially obtained information conflicts with personally acquired knowledge, animals must weigh up one form of information against the other. Previous studies have found that individual animals differ consistently in how they trade-off socially versus personally acquired knowledge, but why this is so remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate whether an animal's cognitive profile affects its decision to use either prior personal or new, conflicting social information, using the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) as our model species. We trained lizards to associate one of two colour cues with food, and subsequently allowed them to observe a conspecific trained for the opposite colour. After social demonstrations, lizards overall tended to use the 'fake', non-rewarding social information, but some individuals were more likely to do so than others. Lizards that showed faster spatial learning were more likely to copy social information even in the presence of reliable previous knowledge. Our study highlights the existence of significant inter-individual variation in social learning in a lizard, possibly mirroring variation in cognitive abilities. Significance statementAnimals often use social information in daily decision-making. Whenever knowledge obtained through personal experience conflicts with observations of decisions made by conspecifics, individuals must weigh these two types of information against each other. Individuals tend to differ in whether they prioritize social versus private information, but why this is so, remains poorly understood. Using lizards, we tested whether an animal's cognitive profile affects its decision to use either prior personal or new, conflicting social information. We found considerable variation among individuals in social information use and tendency to rely on personal or public knowledge. Specifically, faster spatial learners inclined to copy social information, even in the presence of reliable previous knowledge, suggesting that intrinsic, cognitive aspects influence how individuals trade-off public and private information.

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Proactive common waxbills make fewer mistakes in a cognitive assay, the detour-reaching task

Cited by 32 publications

References 101 publications

Experimental evidence for a role of dopamine on avian personality traits

Experimental evidence for a role of dopamine on avian personality traits

Long-term effects of prenatal sound experience on songbird behavior and their relation to song learning

The gullible genius: fast learners fall for fake news

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