Temperament, social rank and cognition: the nature & nurture of social cognitive ecology

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Scientists have long been interested in how nature and nurture interact to influence the way a person or animal acts and thinks. An individual's temperament, the characteristic way that he or she reacts physiologically (e.g., hormonally) and behaviourally to situations, is thought to be mainly genetic. In studies of birds, rodents and primates, temperament has been shown to influence both the way an individual acquires, stores, and uses information in the environment (i.e., cognition), as well as its social rank within the group. For example, mountain chickadees that are described as "slow", or low explorers of a new environment are dominant in their social group and show superior spatial memory ability compared to "fast", high-exploring subordinates. The early experiences of young organisms, such as low maternal care, also dramatically influence subsequent cognition and behaviour, by directly causing neurobiological changes in the brain and hormonal stress response system, known as the HPA axis. These changes are considered epigenetic. I am interested in studying how temperament and early experience interact to influence social hierarchies in three species: the Yucatan miniature pig (Sus scrofa), the domestic dog (Canis familiaris), and the European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). I will also examine how temperament, early experience, and social rank influence animal's cognitive performance on spatial and non-spatial memory tests. This research will further inform us about the interesting areas of animal personality, social dominance, and the relative roles of nature and nurture on how individuals act and respond in their world.