Abstract
Neophobia, or the fear of novelty, may offer benefits to animals by limiting their exposure to unknown danger, but can also impose costs by preventing the exploration of potential resources. The costs and benefits of neophobia may vary throughout the year if predation pressure, resource distribution or conspecific competition changes seasonally. Despite such variation, neophobia levels are often assumed to be temporally and individually stable. Whether or not neophobia expression changes seasonally and fluctuates equally for all individuals is crucial to understanding the drivers, consequences and plasticity of novelty avoidance. We investigated seasonal differences and individual consistency in the motivation and novelty responses of a captive group of rooks, Corvus frugilegus, a seasonally breeding, colonial species of corvid that is known for being neophobic. We tested the group around novel objects and novel people to determine whether responses generalized across novelty types, and considered whether differences in dominance could influence the social risk of approaching unknown stimuli. We found that the group's level of object neophobia was stable year-round, but individuals were not consistent between seasons, despite being consistent within seasons. In contrast, the group's avoidance of novel people decreased during the breeding season, and individuals were consistent year-round. Additionally, although subordinate birds were more likely to challenge dominants during the breeding season, this social risk taking did not translate to greater novelty approach. Since seasonal variation and individual consistency varied differently towards each novelty type, responses towards novel objects and people seem to be governed by different mechanisms. Such a degree of fluctuation has consequences for other individually consistent behaviours often measured within the nonhuman personality literature.
Highlights
Neophobia, or the fear of novelty, may offer benefits to animals by limiting their exposure to unknown danger, but can impose costs by preventing the exploration of potential resources
We tested the group around novel objects and novel people to determine whether responses generalized across novelty types, and considered whether differences in dominance could influence the social risk of approaching unknown stimuli
Little is known about the extent to which neophobia levels vary seasonally and about whether or not all individuals respond to seasonal change
Summary
The fear of novelty, may offer benefits to animals by limiting their exposure to unknown danger, but can impose costs by preventing the exploration of potential resources. Elevated neophobia may carry potential costs if increased fear inhibits innovation (Benson-Amram & Holekamp, 2012; Greenberg, 2003), or limits defences, for instance, against nest predators (Vrublevska et al, 2015) These costs and benefits of risk taking are likely to vary over time and contexts in a way that could alter the expression of neophobia. Neophobia is often used as a marker of nonhuman personality or temperament, because it is considered a stable response to challenges or risks across times or situations (Dall, Houston, & McNamara, 2004) It is unclear whether all individuals mediate their neophobic behaviours under changing conditions. In line with these patterns, over short periods of time, neophobia measures have been shown to be highly consistent (e.g. Jolles, Ostojic, & Clayton, 2013, see Miller, Bugnyar, Po€lzl, & Schwab, 2015), while over longer timeframes such as years, they can lack such consistency (e.g. Kluen & Brommer, 2013)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
