Relative colour learning in honeybees, colour distance and receptor noise

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Relative colour learning in honeybees, colour distance and receptor noise Misha Vorobyev1*, Jaime Martinez-Harmes2, Natalie Marquez2 and Randolf Menzel2 1 University of Auckland, Department of Optometry and Vision Science and School of Biological Science, New Zealand 2 Free University of Berlin, Institute of Neurobiology, Germany Do the honeybees categorize colours and learn colour absolutely or do they estimate the distance between colours and learn colours relatively? If colours are learned absolutely, then, in the test, the colours that belong to the category of the rewarded colour are preferably chosen. If colours are learned relatively, then the colours are chosen according to a perceptual distance to both positive (S+) and negative (S-) colour stimuli. A prediction of the relative colour learning is a ‘peak shift’ phenomenon - when a S+ stimulus is presented against the a novel stimulus that is close to the S+, but is further from S- then S+, the novel stimulus is preferred to S+. Here we demonstrate that bees learn colours relatively using two methods of training. In the first series of experiments, bees were trained to discriminate a stimulus rewarded with sugar water (S+) from an unrewarded stimulus (S-). Both stimuli were presented in a Y maze simultaneously. In the second series of experiments, bees were trained to discriminate between opened (S+) and closed (S-) hive entrances. During the tests, the (S+) was presented against the novel stimulus. In both cases, bees preferred the novel stimulus, when it was further from the S- then from the S+. This demonstrates a peak shift phenomenon and indicates that bees learn colours relatively. The results of our experiments can be explained by a model of proximity judgments – we assume that bees estimate the perceptual distances from presented stimuli to both S+ and S- stimuli. Depending on the cost of incorrect decision and on the extent of training, different weight can be given to the distance to S+ and S- stimuli. The distance between colours that are close to discrimination threshold can be estimated using the receptor noise limited model of colour discrimination. However, the perceptual distance between colours that are far apart is not necessary related to noise. Here we demonstrate that the colour distance estimated from the noise originating in photoreceptors reasonably well approximates the perceptual distance between colours describing the peak shift phenomenon. Keywords: Bees, colour, learning and memory, hive entrance learning, Photoreceptor Cells Conference: International Conference on Invertebrate Vision, Fjälkinge, Sweden, 1 Aug - 8 Aug, 2013. Presentation Type: Oral presentation preferred Topic: Colour and polarisation vision Citation: Vorobyev M, Martinez-Harmes J, Marquez N and Menzel R (2019). Relative colour learning in honeybees, colour distance and receptor noise. Front. Physiol. Conference Abstract: International Conference on Invertebrate Vision. doi: 10.3389/conf.fphys.2013.25.00106 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 28 Feb 2013; Published Online: 09 Dec 2019. * Correspondence: Dr. Misha Vorobyev, University of Auckland, Department of Optometry and Vision Science and School of Biological Science, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand, m.vorobyev@auckland.ac.nz Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Misha Vorobyev Jaime Martinez-Harmes Natalie Marquez Randolf Menzel Google Misha Vorobyev Jaime Martinez-Harmes Natalie Marquez Randolf Menzel Google Scholar Misha Vorobyev Jaime Martinez-Harmes Natalie Marquez Randolf Menzel PubMed Misha Vorobyev Jaime Martinez-Harmes Natalie Marquez Randolf Menzel Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.