Large Number Discrimination by Mosquitofish
Large Number Discrimination by Mosquitofish
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DOI：
10.1371/journal.pone.0015232
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发表时间：
2010-12-22
期刊：
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Bisazza, Angelo
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Agrillo, Christian;Piffer, Laura;Bisazza, Angelo
背景：最近的研究表明，鱼类显示出与哺乳动物和鸟类相似的基本数字能力。歧视的小数量（，4）的机制，最近进行了调查，而到目前为止，没有研究已经审查了歧视的大numerosities在fish.Methodology/主要调查结果：受试者进行了培训，区分两组小的几何数字，使用社会强化。在第一个实验中，食蚊鱼被要求区分4个或8个对象，有或没有实验控制的连续变量，随数量（面积，空间，密度，总亮度）。结果表明，鱼可以使用唯一的数值信息比较数量，但他们优先使用累积表面积作为代理的数量时，此信息可用。第二个实验研究了元素总数对区分大量元素的影响。鱼被证明能够区分多达100对200个物体，与4对8的区分相比，准确性没有显着下降。第三个实验研究了数字之间的比例的影响。发现性能降低时，减少数值距离。当比例为1：2或2：3时，鱼能够区分数字，但当比例为3：4时，鱼就不能区分数字了。一个样本的本科生，测试非口头使用相同的刺激集的表现，在很大程度上重叠的fish.Conclusions/Significance：鱼能够使用纯数值信息时，区分大于4个单位的数量。正如在人类和非人类灵长类动物中观察到的那样，鱼类的数字系统似乎几乎没有上限，而数字比例对表现有明显的影响。这些相似之处进一步强化了所有脊椎动物的非语言数字系统的共同起源的观点。
0Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that fish display rudimentary numerical abilities similar to those observed in mammals and birds. The mechanisms underlying the discrimination of small quantities (, 4) were recently investigated while, to date, no study has examined the discrimination of large numerosities in fish.Methodology/Principal Findings: Subjects were trained to discriminate between two sets of small geometric figures using social reinforcement. In the first experiment mosquitofish were required to discriminate 4 from 8 objects with or without experimental control of the continuous variables that co-vary with number (area, space, density, total luminance). Results showed that fish can use the sole numerical information to compare quantities but that they preferentially use cumulative surface area as a proxy of the number when this information is available. A second experiment investigated the influence of the total number of elements to discriminate large quantities. Fish proved to be able to discriminate up to 100 vs. 200 objects, without showing any significant decrease in accuracy compared with the 4 vs. 8 discrimination. The third experiment investigated the influence of the ratio between the numerosities. Performance was found to decrease when decreasing the numerical distance. Fish were able to discriminate numbers when ratios were 1: 2 or 2: 3 but not when the ratio was 3: 4. The performance of a sample of undergraduate students, tested non-verbally using the same sets of stimuli, largely overlapped that of fish.Conclusions/Significance: Fish are able to use pure numerical information when discriminating between quantities larger than 4 units. As observed in human and non-human primates, the numerical system of fish appears to have virtually no upper limit while the numerical ratio has a clear effect on performance. These similarities further reinforce the view of a common origin of non-verbal numerical systems in all vertebrates.