Tool-use by rats (Rattus norvegicus): tool-choice based on tool features
Tool-use by rats (Rattus norvegicus): tool-choice based on tool features
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DOI：
10.1007/s10071-016-1039-5
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发表时间：
2017-03-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Aoyama, Kenjiro
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Nagano, Akane;Aoyama, Kenjiro
在本研究中，我们调查了大鼠（褐家鼠）是否可以在实验环境中训练使用工具。在实验1中，我们调查了大鼠是否能够根据工具和食物的空间布置选择适当的钩形工具来获得食物，类似于在非人类灵长类动物和鸟类中进行的测试。通过训练，老鼠能够选择合适的钩子。在实验2和3中，我们使用新工具进行了迁移测试。在这些实验中，大鼠必须在功能性和非功能性耙形工具之间进行选择。在实验2中，工具不同于实验1的形状，颜色和纹理。在实验3中，这些工具的外观和功能之间存在矛盾。大鼠可以用具有透明刀片的功能性耙子获得食物，但不能用具有不透明软刀片的非功能性耙子获得食物。在实验2中，所有大鼠选择了功能性耙而非功能性耙，但在实验3中没有大鼠选择功能性耙。因此，只有当工具的外观和功能之间没有矛盾时，老鼠才能选择功能性的耙子。这些结果表明，当没有这种矛盾时，大鼠理解工具，食物和自我之间的空间和物理关系。
In the present study, we investigated whether rats (Rattus norvegicus) could be trained to use tools in an experimental setting. In Experiment 1, we investigated whether rats became able to choose appropriate hook-shaped tools to obtain food based on the spatial arrangements of the tool and food, similar to tests conducted in non-human primates and birds. With training, the rats were able to choose the appropriate hooks. In Experiments 2 and 3, we conducted transfer tests with novel tools. The rats had to choose between a functional and non-functional rake-shaped tool in these experiments. In Experiment 2, the tools differed from those of Experiment 1 in terms of shape, color, and texture. In Experiment 3, there was a contradiction between the appearance and the functionality of these tools. The rats could obtain the food with a functional rake with a transparent blade but could not obtain food with a non-functional rake with an opaque soft blade. All rats chose the functional over the non-functional rakes in Experiment 2, but none of the rats chose the functional rake in Experiment 3. Thus, the rats were able to choose the functional rakes only when there was no contradiction between the appearance and functionality of the tools. These results suggest that rats understand the spatial and physical relationships between the tool, food, and self when there was no such contradiction.