Pre- and post-natal stress have opposing effects on social information use
Pre- and post-natal stress have opposing effects on social information use
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DOI：
10.1098/rsbl.2012.1088
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发表时间：
2013-04-23
期刊：
影响因子：
3.3
通讯作者：
Spencer, Karen A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Boogert, Neeltje J.;Zimmer, Cedric;Spencer, Karen A.
社会学习的理论模型预测，动物应该在资源可用性相对不可预测的可变环境中模仿其他动物。尽管成年后短期接触不可预测的条件已被证明可以鼓励社会学习，但实际上对于发育条件是否以及如何影响社会信息的使用一无所知。不可预测的食物供应会增加应激激素皮质酮 (CORT) 的水平。在鸟类中，CORT 可以从母体转移到蛋中，并对下游行为产生影响。我们测试了通过鸡蛋注射提高产前 CORT 水平，以及在不可预测的食物条件下雏鸡产后发育如何影响成年日本鹌鹑（Coturnix japonica）的社会信息使用。产前 CORT 暴露鼓励鹌鹑在视频播放中模仿示威者的觅食决定，而产后食物的不可预测性则导致个体避开展示的食物来源。因此，个体在发育过程中所面临的压力和不确定性会影响其成年后对社交觅食信息的使用。然而，压力源的性质和发育时间决定了成年人是否会倾向于模仿同种人或做相反的事情。因此，对社会信息使用的发展影响可能有助于解释社会觅食策略和领导力的个体差异。
Theoretical models of social learning predict that animals should copy others in variable environments where resource availability is relatively unpredictable. Although short-term exposure to unpredictable conditions in adulthood has been shown to encourage social learning, virtually nothing is known concerning whether and how developmental conditions affect social information use. Unpredictable food availability increases levels of the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT). In birds, CORT can be transferred from the mother to her eggs, and have downstream behavioural effects. We tested how pre-natal CORT elevation through egg injection, and chick post-natal development in unpredictable food conditions, affected social information use in adult Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Pre-natal CORT exposure encouraged quail to copy the foraging decisions of demonstrators in video playbacks, whereas post-natal food unpredictability led individuals to avoid the demonstrated food source. An individual's exposure to stress and uncertainty during development can thus affect its use of social foraging information in adulthood. However, the stressor's nature and developmental timing determine whether an adult will tend to copy conspecifics or do the opposite. Developmental effects on social information use might thus help explain individual differences in social foraging tactics and leadership.