Sex differences in spatial ability: a test of the range size hypothesis in the order Carnivora

Perdue, Bonnie M.; Snyder, Rebecca J.; Zhang, Zhihe; Marr, M. Jackson; Maple, Terry L.

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.1116

Cited by 67 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(31 reference statements)

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“…The range size hypothesis predicts that species with a mating system that selects for a differential range size, such as a polygynous mating system, will show enhanced sex differences in spatial cognition compared to monogamous species in which the range size is equivalent [16,17,18]. Recent work with giant pandas and Asian small-clawed river otters supported the predictions within the order Carnivora [5]. Further research comparing different bear species should allow for additional insights into the origins of various cognitive abilities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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The Effect of Computerized Testing on Sun Bear Behavior and Enrichment Preferences

Perdue

2016

Behavioral Sciences

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The field of comparative cognition investigates species’ differences and similarities in cognitive abilities, and sheds light on the evolutionary origins of such capacities. Cognitive testing has been carried out in a variety of species; however, there are some taxa that are underrepresented in this field. The current work follows on a recent increase in cognitive research in the order Carnivora with a specific focus on sun bears. Sun bears are the smallest existing bear species and live in tropical regions of Southeast Asia. They have an omnivorous diet and use their tongues to forage for insects and sap. Little is known about sun bear cognition, although much like other bear species, anecdotes suggest a high level of intelligence. The current work explored training sun bears to use a touchscreen computer. This effort allows for insight into cognitive abilities as well as providing a complex source of enrichment for the bears. The bears use their tongues to respond to a touchscreen computer, and the effects on stereotypic behaviors on exhibit and preference for this over other forms of enrichment were examined. Overall, bears performed well on the task and showed a preference for the computer.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…For example, there is relatively little known about bear cognition. This has begun to change in recent years as more empirical studies have been carried out with giant pandas [2,3,4,5,6] and black bears [7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Computerized Testing on Sun Bear Behavior and Enrichment Preferences

Perdue

2016

Behavioral Sciences

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“…This intersexual difference in physiology is based on the negative relationship between the male hormone, testosterone, and immune function, making males more susceptible to the majority of parasite infections (Klein 2004). Behavioral differences between genders are related to the greater mobility of males in systems with promiscuous mating, as the range of a female is generally associated with habitat quality, while the range of a male is associated with an improved probability of finding sexual partners (Püttker et al 2006;Fernandes et al 2010;Perdue et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Effect of body size on the abundance of ectoparasitic mites on the wild rodent Oligoryzomys nigripes

Fernandes

Cruz

Linhares

et al. 2015

Acta Parasitologica

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The abundance of parasites on a host can be affected by several factors; in this study, we investigated the influence of sex and body size of the host rodent Oligoryzomys nigripes on the abundance of ectoparasitic mites (Acari: Mesostigmata). The generalized linear model indicated that body size (indicative of age) of the host rodent O. nigripes significantly contributed to the variation in the abundance of mites on host rodents at the Experimental Station of Itirapina. This trend of increased parasitism on hosts with larger body sizes may be linked to the fact that larger individuals are able to support the coexistence of a larger number of parasites, and being more mobile, are more exposed to infection by parasites.

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“…Dungl, Schratter, and Huber (2008) demonstrated the ability of giant pandas to remember the reinforcement history of elliptical shapes after a period of six months to one year. Perdue and colleagues (Perdue, Snyder, Pratte, Marr, & Maple, 2009;Perdue, Synder, Zhihe, Marr, & Maple, 2011) have also demonstrated impressive memory capacity in giant pandas in a series of spatial memory tasks. Thus, it is clear that the bears' failure in our memory task is not due to a failure of memory per se but is a failure of our task itself, or a failure of the bears to abstract a general rule for test performance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Bear-ly” learning: Limits of abstraction in black bear cognition

Vonk¹,

Jett²

2018

AB&C

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-We presented two American black bears (Ursus americanus) with a serial list learning memory task, and one of the bears with a matching-to-sample task. After extended training, both bears demonstrated some success with the memory task but failed to generalize the overarching rule of the task to novel stimuli. Matching to sample proved even more difficult for our bear to learn. We conclude that, despite previous success in training bears to respond to natural categories, quantity discriminations, and other related tasks, that bears may possess a cognitive limitation with regards to learning abstract rules. Future tests using different procedures are necessary to determine whether this is a limit of bears' cognitive capacities, or a limitation of the current tasks as presented. Future tests should present a larger number of varying stimuli. Ideally, bears of various species should be tested on these tasks to demonstrate species as well as individual differences.Keywords -Bear, Serial list memory, Matching-to-sample, Conceptual, Cognition Many animals are able to categorize objects and events in their surroundings and can demonstrate this ability in experimental tests. Carnivores are no exception, demonstrating skill in categorization tasks ranging from simple quantity and shape discriminations to more abstract abilities, such as oddity learning (for a recent review see Vonk & Leete, 2017). However, as summarized by Vonk and Leete, members of the order Carnivora have rarely been tested for more complex cognitive abilities. Most of the tasks, with the possible exception of those presented to canines, have involved discriminations where animals can attend to observable perceptual cues associated with reinforcement (or the lack thereof). Carnivores are of interest, because, unlike most species assessed for sophisticated cognitive abilities, they exhibit variability in their social structure and in their foraging strategies. Bears and felines are relatively asocial (with the exception of lions, Panthera leo) in that they do not live in stable groups beyond the mother-cub relationship in the first one-two years of life. Further, they show diversity in diet that might predict different levels of cognitive skill across species (Byrne, 1997;Vonk, 2016). This is particularly true of bears, which range from obligate carnivores to obligate herbivores, with some bears, such as black bears, exhibiting a generalist diet (Gittleman, 1986).Bears, in particular, have only recently been tested on an extensive range of cognitive tests, and the bulk of the research has been done with

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Sex differences in spatial ability: a test of the range size hypothesis in the order Carnivora

Cited by 67 publications

References 21 publications

The Effect of Computerized Testing on Sun Bear Behavior and Enrichment Preferences

The Effect of Computerized Testing on Sun Bear Behavior and Enrichment Preferences

Effect of body size on the abundance of ectoparasitic mites on the wild rodent Oligoryzomys nigripes

“Bear-ly” learning: Limits of abstraction in black bear cognition

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