DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Individual recognition and long-term memory of third-party relationships in a social bird

论文研究：群居鸟类对第三方关系的个体识别和长期记忆

• 批准号: 1701451
• 负责人: Michael Webster
• 金额: $ 2.03万
• 依托单位: Cornell University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-03-15 至 2019-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1701451&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Individual; recognition; long

Non-technical Abstract:There is mounting evidence that the evolution of intelligence is primarily driven by the need to navigate complex social relationships. However, the way in which a species' social system influences developing intelligence is less well understood. While it is known that some animals are aware of the relationships between individuals other than themselves, previous studies have concentrated on short-term knowledge about relationships within a single social group. This narrow focus limits the inferences that can be drawn about how different social systems shape intelligence. This project will test whether acorn woodpeckers can remember the relationships between others for years, an ability that has not been investigated in any non-human species. Acorn woodpeckers are a group-living bird in which relatives maintain a relationship even after years of separation, and kin who no longer live together may act as allies in times of conflict. Thus, if acorn woodpeckers can recognize and remember their neighbors' kin for years, they could benefit by keeping track of competitors' allies. This study aims to identify whether they have this ability. The project will create paid positions for two field assistants and several undergraduates will be mentored and learn transferable skills by assisting in data collection and analysis. The investigators will also continue their scientific outreach and education efforts with youth from under-served communities. By improving scientific understanding of the relationship between sociality and cognition, this project could provide perspective on the evolution of intelligence in general.Technical Abstract:The goal of this project is to expand our understanding of social cognition by testing the hypothesis that acorn woodpeckers can remember the relationships between others for at least two years. The investigators will create playback stimuli that simulate two birds calling in unison, which acorn woodpeckers only do naturally with current or former members of their own group. Woodpeckers will then receive playbacks of the following simulated vocal exchanges: 1) two related birds who formerly lived together two years ago, 2) two related birds who never lived together, and 3) two unrelated birds who never lived together. In all cases, the callers will be unrelated to the subject. If acorn woodpeckers remember the relationships between birds that lived together two years ago, they should recognize Stimulus 1 as being more socially congruent than 2 and 3, and should thus exhibit a longer response latency to Stimulus 1, indicating less violation of expectation. If they recognize the relationship between callers via an acoustic cue of relatedness rather than by memory, they should show a longer response latency to both Stimuli 1 and 2 compared to 3. This work will also provide relevant training and mentoring to undergraduate students. Results will be communicated to the scientific community through publications and the general non-scientific community through outreach efforts.

非技术摘要：越来越多的证据表明，智力的进化主要是由驾驭复杂社会关系的需要驱动的。然而，一个物种的社会系统影响智力发展的方式还不太清楚。虽然我们知道有些动物能够意识到个体之间的关系，但以前的研究主要集中在对单一社会群体内关系的短期知识上。这种狭隘的关注限制了人们对不同社会制度如何塑造智力的推断。这个项目将测试橡子啄木鸟是否能记住其他人之间的关系多年，这种能力还没有在任何非人类物种中进行过研究。橡子啄木鸟是一种群居的鸟类，即使在多年的分离之后，亲戚们也会保持关系，不再一起生活的亲戚可能会在冲突时成为盟友。因此，如果橡子啄木鸟能够识别并记住它们邻居的亲属多年，它们可以通过跟踪竞争对手的盟友而受益。本研究旨在确定他们是否具有这种能力。该项目将为两名现场助理创造带薪职位，并将指导几名本科生，通过协助数据收集和分析学习可转移的技能。调查人员还将继续与服务不足社区的青年开展科学宣传和教育工作。通过提高对社会性和认知之间关系的科学理解，本项目可以从总体上提供对智力进化的看法。技术摘要：本项目的目标是通过测试橡子啄木鸟能够记住至少两年的其他人之间的关系这一假设，扩大我们对社会认知的理解。研究人员将创造出模拟两只鸟齐声鸣叫的回放刺激，橡子啄木鸟只会自然地与自己群体的现任或前任成员一起鸣叫。然后，啄木鸟将收到以下模拟声音交流的回放：1）两年前曾经住在一起的两只相关鸟类，2）从未住在一起的两只相关鸟类，以及3）从未住在一起的两只无关鸟类。在所有情况下，呼叫者将与主题无关。如果橡子啄木鸟还记得两年前一起生活的鸟类之间的关系，它们应该认识到刺激1比2和3更具社会一致性，因此应该对刺激1表现出更长的反应潜伏期，这表明对期望的违反较少。如果他们通过相关性的声学线索而不是记忆来识别呼叫者之间的关系，那么与3相比，他们应该对刺激1和2表现出更长的反应潜伏期。 这项工作还将为本科生提供相关的培训和指导。 将通过出版物向科学界通报结果，并通过外联活动向一般非科学界通报结果。