![]() ![]() Among these few species, progressive improvement of performance has been reported in, for example, chimpanzees (Schusterman 1962, 1964) or pigeons (Ploog and Williams 2010 Rayburn-Reeves et al. 1960) or spiders (Punzo 2002), seem to be able to master spatial SRL tasks, some of them even showing progressive improvement of performance (Morrow and Smithson 1969), only a few of the tested species were found to be able to master SRL tasks based on other than spatial discriminations, such as visual, olfactory, or haptic discriminations. While most species, even invertebrates, such as crabs (Datta et al. Thus, the animal is learning to learn (Harlow 1949), which is usually associated with higher levels of cognitive abilities. ![]() This phenomenon is called progressive improvement. However, in subsequent reversals (R2-Rn), many animals decrease the number of errors (Mackintosh et al. It typically takes the animal longer to learn the first reversal (R1) than to learn the initial discrimination task (R0). In SRL tasks, S+ and S− are switched every time the predefined criterion of performance is reached. After the subject has learned the discrimination, the reinforcement contingencies are reversed, meaning that now the choice of the previous S− is rewarded, whereas the choice of the previous S+ is not reinforced anymore. 2007), or to discriminate between two stimuli of any sensory modality, such as to discriminate two visual stimuli. The discrimination task can either require the animal to choose one location over another, such as when choosing one arm in a Y- or T-maze in a spatial experiment (Langbein 2012 Smart 1976 Van der Borght et al. At the beginning of a reversal learning (RL) experiment, the subject has to learn a discrimination task with one stimulus being defined as the positive stimulus (S +), whose choice is reinforced, whereas the choice of the second stimulus, defined as negative stimulus (S−), is not reinforced. #GOLDFISH AQUARIUM 2 SERIAL SERIAL#Flexibility in behavior is particularly important for animals such as pinnipeds that inhabit highly variable environments and consequently need to effectively cope with or adapt to changes to optimize behaviors, avoid long learning phases, and, ultimately, to survive.Ī classic paradigm to examine behavioral flexibility is to analyze an animal’s performance in a serial reversal learning (SRL) experiment. In addition to effectively dealing with novel stimuli, it might occasionally be important to change ones behavior in respect to familiar stimuli that were already associated with a specific behavior. The numerous studies conducted so far have documented that, for example, harbor seals can easily learn demanding tasks, such as to classify novel stimulus pairs as either “same” or “different” (Scholtyssek et al. The cognitive and sensory abilities of pinnipeds have been subject of extensive investigation (Cook et al. Future experiments will need to assess whether factors such as the modality addressed in the experiment have an influence on reversal learning performance or whether indeed, during evolution, behavioral flexibility has not specifically been favored in harbor seals.Ĭognition includes processes such as (sensory) perception, learning, and memory, as well as decision making, and problem solving (Shettleworth 2010). In conclusion, harbor seals can master an SRL experiment however, the performance is inferior to results obtained in other vertebrates in comparable tasks. Two seals mastered two reversals, while one animal had difficulties in learning the discrimination task and failed to complete a single reversal. One individual was able to solve 37 reversals showing progressive improvement of performance with a minimum of 6 errors in reversal 33. ![]() We found significant individual differences in performance. Thus, we tested four harbor seals in a visual two-alternative forced-choice discrimination task and its subsequent reversals. Particularly in pinnipeds, a high degree of behavioral flexibility seems probable as they face a highly variable environment in air and underwater. Although the cognitive and sensory abilities of marine mammals have been subject of extensive investigation, and numerous vertebrate and invertebrate species were tested, SRL studies in aquatic mammals are sparse. Progressively improving performance in a serial reversal learning (SRL) test has been associated with higher cognitive abilities and has served as a measure for cognitive/behavioral flexibility. ![]()
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