The Effects of Uncertainty on Social Food Preference Among Rats
The Effects of Uncertainty on Social Food Preference Among Rats
Brittany Hiben
Radford University
Author Note
This paper is being submitted to Dr. Willner on 12/08/11 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Psychology 434 Research in Learning.
The Effect of Uncertainty on Social Food Preferences in Long-Evans Rats The present study investigates the effects of uncertain environments on social food preferences among male Long-Evans rats. Exposure to an uncertain environment that potentially creates anxiety can be a factor that plays a role in when a rat is affected by social learning. Previous studies have focused mainly on the phenomenon of social transmission of food preference. However, there have been few studies focusing mainly on the uncertainty effects of a novelty environment correlating with social transmission of food preferences. The present study will examine the effects of uncertainty on social learning in rats.
Social learning is a theory that suggests that animals will copy another’s behavior if it is available for them to do so. Laland (2004) believes that some animals engage in social learning because it is an easy and beneficial way to help find valuable information such as: nutrition, water, escaping predators, and learning the environment around them. There have been relatively few attempts to test theories of learning, however Laland (2004) makes an attempt to suggest these theories.
Laland (2004) came up with separate categories, “when” and “who”. The “when” category is aimed to predict theories of when animals might increase their reliance on social learning, and the “who” category is aimed to predict which animals behaviors provide the most useful information (Laland, 2004). The theory of uncertainty, as found by Laland (2004), is a part of the “when” strategies that species engage in. This theory recognizes that some animals engage in copying when uncertain if they are unclear of the nature of an environment and solely need
Brittany Hiben
Radford University
Author Note
This paper is being submitted to Dr. Willner on 12/08/11 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Psychology 434 Research in Learning.
The Effect of Uncertainty on Social Food Preferences in Long-Evans Rats The present study investigates the effects of uncertain environments on social food preferences among male Long-Evans rats. Exposure to an uncertain environment that potentially creates anxiety can be a factor that plays a role in when a rat is affected by social learning. Previous studies have focused mainly on the phenomenon of social transmission of food preference. However, there have been few studies focusing mainly on the uncertainty effects of a novelty environment correlating with social transmission of food preferences. The present study will examine the effects of uncertainty on social learning in rats.
Social learning is a theory that suggests that animals will copy another’s behavior if it is available for them to do so. Laland (2004) believes that some animals engage in social learning because it is an easy and beneficial way to help find valuable information such as: nutrition, water, escaping predators, and learning the environment around them. There have been relatively few attempts to test theories of learning, however Laland (2004) makes an attempt to suggest these theories.
Laland (2004) came up with separate categories, “when” and “who”. The “when” category is aimed to predict theories of when animals might increase their reliance on social learning, and the “who” category is aimed to predict which animals behaviors provide the most useful information (Laland, 2004). The theory of uncertainty, as found by Laland (2004), is a part of the “when” strategies that species engage in. This theory recognizes that some animals engage in copying when uncertain if they are unclear of the nature of an environment and solely need
Cited: Galef, B. G. (2009). Strategies for social learning: Testing predictions from formal theory. Advances in the Study of Behavior, 39, 117-147. Galef, B., Dudley. K., and Whiskin, E. (2008). Social learning of food preferences in dissatisfied and uncertain norway rats. Animal Behavior, 75, 631-637. Galef, B. G., Kennett, D. J., & Wigmore, S. W. (1984). Transfer of information concerning distant foods in rats: A robust phenomenon. Animal Learning & Behavior, 12(3), 292-296. Galef, B. G., Jr & Whiskin, E.E. (2004). Effects of environmental stability and demonstrator age on social learning of food preferences by young Norway rats. Animal Behaviour, 68, 897-902. Galef, B. G., & Wigmore, S. W. (1983). Transfer of information concerning distant foods: A laboratory investigation of the 'information-centre ' hypothesis. Animal Behavior, 31(3), 748-758. Laland, K. N. (2004). Social learning strategies. Learning & Behavior, 32(1), 4-14.