Research In Comparative Psychology Research Articles

Why might animals remember? A functional framework for episodic memory research in comparative psychology.

One of Clayton's major contributions to our understanding of animal minds has been her work on episodic-like memory. A central reason for the success of this work was its focus on ecological validity: rather than looking for episodic memory for arbitrary stimuli in artificial contexts, focussing on contexts in which episodic memory would serve a biological function such as food caching. This review aims to deepen this insight by surveying the numerous functions that have been proposed for episodic memory, articulating a philosophically grounded framework for understanding what exactly functions are, and drawing on these to make suggestions for future directions in the comparative cognitive psychology of episodic memory. Our review suggests four key insights. First, episodic memory may have more than one function and may have different functions in different species. Second, cross-disciplinary work is key to developing a functional account of episodic memory. Third, there is scope for further theoretical elaboration of proposals relating episodic memory to food caching and, in particular, future-oriented cognition. Finally, learning-related functions suggested by AI (artificial intelligence)-based models are a fruitful avenue for future behavioural research.

Doing reliable research in comparative psychology: Challenges and proposals for improvement.

Unlike some other areas of psychology that have experienced a "reproducibility crisis," the extent to which research findings in comparative psychology are reliable is only just beginning to come under the spotlight. I outline what is known about where we as a field stand in terms of the reliability of our findings and highlight some characteristic features of our research that give may cause for concern, focusing primarily on experimental comparative cognition. I then discuss ways that we as individual researchers and a wider community can take steps to improve our current practices (and in some cases already are) and highlight the crucial role institutions and gatekeepers have to play in effecting change. By tackling potential issues head on, the field of comparative psychology can have more confidence that our research findings and the resultant claims we make about animal behavior and cognition are reliable. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Habituation of the Light-Startle Response of Orange Head Cockroaches (Eublaberus posticus): Effects of Acclimation, Stimulus Duration, Presence of Food, and Intertrial Interval.

Simple SummaryThis paper investigates habituation of the light-startle response (LSR) in orange head cockroaches (Eublaberus posticus) to improve our understanding of comparative insect psychology. Across four experiments, we found that cockroaches quickly learned to respond less to sudden changes in lighting. We also documented a number of findings common to habituation research, connecting our results to those of other popular model organisms. Our work lays a strong foundation for future research on the behavior of orange head cockroaches as well as learning in cockroaches in general.The purpose of this paper is to establish the orange head cockroach (Eublaberus posticus) as a useful insect subject for research in comparative psychology by investigating habituation of the light-startle response (LSR). While one goal of comparative psychology is to compare the behavior of a diversity of species, many taxa, including cockroaches, are grossly underrepresented. Our work serves to improve this deficit by investigating habituation learning in the orange head cockroach in four experiments. In our first experiment, we found that LSR, and habituation of LSR, occurs to both lights being turned on and lights being turned off. In our second experiment, we found that the duration of a light did not affect response, and that spontaneous recovery of LSR occurs after 24 h intervals. In our third experiment, we found that the presence of food inhibited LSR. In our final experiment, we found that the rate of LSR habituation decreased as intertrial interval increased, in a manner predicted by established principles of habituation. Our work lays a strong foundation for future research on the behavior of orange head cockroaches as well as learning in cockroaches in general. We hope that our findings help establish cockroaches as practical insect subjects for research in comparative psychology and related fields such as behavior analysis and behavioral ecology.

The disturbance leg-lift response (DLR): an undescribed behavior in bumble bees.

BackgroundBumble bees, primarily Bombus impatiens and B. terrestris, are becoming increasingly popular organisms in behavioral ecology and comparative psychology research. Despite growing use in foraging and appetitive conditioning experiments, little attention has been given to innate antipredator responses and their ability to be altered by experience. In this paper, we discuss a primarily undescribed behavior, the disturbance leg-lift response (DLR). When exposed to a presumably threatening stimulus, bumble bees often react by lifting one or multiple legs. We investigated DLR across two experiments.MethodsIn our first experiment, we investigated the function of DLR as a prerequisite to later conditioning research. We recorded the occurrence and sequence of DLR, biting and stinging in response to an approaching object that was either presented inside a small, clear apparatus containing a bee, or presented directly outside of the subject’s apparatus. In our second experiment, we investigated if DLR could be altered by learning and experience in a similar manner to many other well-known bee behaviors. We specifically investigated habituation learning by repeatedly presenting a mild visual stimulus to samples of captive and wild bees.ResultsThe results of our first experiment show that DLR and other defensive behaviors occur as a looming object approaches, and that the response is greater when proximity to the object is lower. More importantly, we found that DLR usually occurs first, rarely precedes biting, and often precedes stinging. This suggests that DLR may function as a warning signal that a sting will occur. In our second experiment, we found that DLR can be altered as a function of habituation learning in both captive and wild bees, though the captive sample initially responded more. This suggests that DLR may be a suitable response for many other conditioning experiments.

Considerations for advancing a well integrated comparative psychology research approach directed toward improving our understanding of fronto-executive functions.

Considerations for advancing a well integrated comparative psychology research approach directed toward improving our understanding of fronto-executive functions.

The Matter of Non-Avian Reptile Sentience, and Why It "Matters" to Them: A Conceptual, Ethical and Scientific Review.

Simple SummarySentience is a complex and contentious concept, especially when attributing the label to non-human animals. Non-avian reptiles are often overlooked in many scientific, ethical and layperson discussions of sentience, awareness and consciousness in animals. Most modern declarations of sentience include all vertebrate animals, and some invertebrates, which automatically includes reptiles and fish. However, specific declarations often ignore the “lower” classes of non-human animals. This paper specifically focuses reviewing the concepts and definitions of consciousness, awareness and sentience; and then reviews research which provides solid evidence for sentience in non-avian reptiles. It is concluded that non-avian reptiles indeed possess all of the necessary capacities to be classified as sentient beings.The concept of sentience, how it is characterised and which non-human animals possess it have long been of contention in academic and intellectual debates. Many have argued that there is no way to empirically know that animals have conscious experiences. Yet others argue that consciousness, awareness and sentience in non-human animals can be quite obvious, and can indeed be measured empirically. Most modern declarations of animal sentience from official organisations and governments now include all vertebrate animals as sentient beings, including reptiles and fish. Some declarations also include some invertebrate species. This conceptual, ethical and scientific review first focuses on conceptual components and definitions of consciousness, awareness and sentience. It then specifically discusses how cognitive, neurobiological, ethological and comparative psychological research in non-avian reptiles over the last century has evidenced many capacities that historically were denied to this class of animals. Non-avian reptiles do indeed possess all of the necessary capacities to be declared as sentient beings, at least in the small proportion of reptile species that have actually been empirically investigated so far. It is suggested that much innovative future research will continue to uncover evidence of capabilities linked to sentience within a wide range of species, including non-avian reptiles, fish and invertebrates.

Concerning the history of comparative psychology in Russia

Psychology in the USSR was developing in relative isolation from international science. A substantial amount of research done by Soviet psychologists has remained unknown to the international scientific community, this especially concerns work performed since the 1930s. Scientists who worked during the first decades of Soviet rule had received their education in the pre-Soviet period. They knew foreign languages, and, for the most part, studied and completed internships in Europe, particularly in Germany. New generations that grew up under Soviet rule, in accordance with the Iron Curtain policy, were denied the opportunity to participate in international discourse. The development of Russian psychology in the war and post-war period led to the formation of a specific conceptual system, which is still a serious obstacle to the integration of the achievements of Russian science, since it requires not only language translation, but also hermeneutics. Nevertheless, there were original developments, mainly in the area of fundamental research connected with biological sciences, which still can contribute to international psychology. Such is the case with comparative psychology. This article dwells upon the history of research in comparative psychology in Russia; it expounds upon the specific character of the approach rooted in Russian science, and highlights the life and works of a number of prominent representatives of the Soviet school in comparative psychology (Ladygina-Kots, Fabri, Tikh) as well as research in the field executed by Pavlov.

Automated Research in Comparative Psychology: Limitations and New Directions

Behavioral research is often enhanced by automated techniques, where experimental parameters and detection of behavior are controlled by electromechanical systems. Automated research promotes refinements in measurement, greater experimental control, longer durations of data collection, reduction of observer fatigue, and may permit new types of research to be conducted. In comparative psychology, use of automated techniques are often restricted to popular model organisms of fields such as behavior analysis and behavioral neuroscience. One factor contributing to this species-restriction may be the availability of automated research equipment, as most commercial research equipment is designed for rodents, and many researchers lack the skills required to create their own automated equipment. However, there are alternatives to commercial equipment, as some behavioral scientists have made available their own species-flexible, low-cost research equipment. In this paper, we provide three reviews. We first review recent trends in automated comparative psychology research, and then relate this to a second review on currently available automated research equipment. We also review affordable alternatives to commercial equipment that have been designed by behavioral scientists. Finally, we discuss useful technological skills that may allow comparative psychologists to take automation into their own hands and design equipment specific to their species and research topic.

Exploring the Intersection of Comparative and Clinical Psychology: An Introduction

This article serves as the introduction to the special issues of the International Journal of Comparative Psychology on the intersection of comparative and clinical psychology. These two fields have a shared history going back to the beginnings of each. Prominent names throughout psychology have work that crosses over between these two fields. Freud referenced Darwin’s work throughout his work and Skinner’s research was almost exclusively comparative psychology research. For much of the first half of the last century there was a clear collaboration between the two fields that was fueled by motivation to find the best ways of understanding psychological processes. That collaboration has slowed considerably in the past several decades and this has coincided with increased specialization and compartmentalization throughout psychology. It is hoped that the important articles included in this special issue will help spark further discussion of how these two fields can again collaborate for mutual professional benefit and for the benefit for the general public.

The evolution of dance

Evidence from multiple sources reveals a surprising link between imitation and dance. As in the classical correspondence problem central to imitation research, dance requires mapping across sensory modalities and the integration of visual and auditory inputs with motor outputs. Recent research in comparative psychology supports this association, in that entrainment to a musical beat is almost exclusively observed in animals capable of vocal or motor imitation. Dance has representational properties that rely on the dancers' ability to imitate particular people, animals or events, as well as the audience's ability to recognize these correspondences. Imitation also plays a central role in learning to dance and the acquisition of the long sequences of choreographed movements are dependent on social learning. These and other lines of evidence suggest that dancing may only be possible for humans because its performance exploits existing neural circuitry employed in imitation.

A clarion call or a swan song? Commentary: A crisis in comparative psychology: where have all the undergraduates gone?

A clarion call or a swan song? Commentary: A crisis in comparative psychology: where have all the undergraduates gone?

Commentary "A Crisis in Comparative Psychology: Where have all the Undergraduates Gone?" Collaborating with Behavior Analysts Could Avert a Crisis in Comparative Psychology.

Commentary "A Crisis in Comparative Psychology: Where have all the Undergraduates Gone?" Collaborating with Behavior Analysts Could Avert a Crisis in Comparative Psychology.

If We Build It Comparative Psychologists Will Come. Commentary: A Crisis in Comparative Psychology: Where Have All the Undergraduates Gone?

If We Build It Comparative Psychologists Will Come. Commentary: A Crisis in Comparative Psychology: Where Have All the Undergraduates Gone?

From Crisis to Crowd Control. Commentary: A Crisis in Comparative Psychology: Where Have All the Undergraduates Gone?

From Crisis to Crowd Control. Commentary: A Crisis in Comparative Psychology: Where Have All the Undergraduates Gone?

Comparative Psychological Research in East Asia: An Opportunity for East Asian Studies Scholars

Abstract East Asian cultures are often labelled as ‘collectivistic’, ‘dialectical’ or ‘Confucian’ in comparative psychological research. This tendency is used to justify the generalisation of results found in one East Asian culture to all East Asian cultures and leads to an absence of psychological research comparing different East Asian cultures. In this paper I first show two examples of illdefined psychological constructs-Geert Hofstede’s individualism and collectivism, and Richard E. Nisbett’s and Peng Kaiping’s dialectical thinking. Then I review the content of two main psychological journals with a focus on how often results from one East Asian culture are generalised to all East Asian cultures. Finally I offer a solution to the problem of neglected research comparing psychological differences among East Asian cultures. I state that lack of diversity in research teams and the under-representation of scholars from other than English-speaking countries in teams undertaking psychological research about East Asia contribute to this process. I suggest that East Asian scholars from non-English speaking countries should persuade psychologists from their universities to engage with East Asia.

Future Directions in Comparative Psychology: An Introduction to the Special Issue

The purpose of this special issue is to highlight the publication trends regarding research in today’s field of comparative psychology. A survey was conducted to determine the research priorities of institutions and researchers currently pursuing research with animals. Over 200 responses were received from 28 different countries representing scientists from many different backgrounds and institutions. Top priorities for research interests were clearly divided by the setting in which scientists conducted their research with animals. Experts from the fields identified as the most important future research topics on comparative psychology were invited to review their respective fields for publication trends over the last 20 years. The results of their significant efforts and the importance of continuing research in comparative psychology are presented and addressed in this special issue. We hope that this information will not only guide research within these fields but also identify potential overlap between zoos/aquariums and academic institutions to further collaboration within the field.

The evolutionary roots of human collaboration: coordination and sharing of resources.

Humans' ability to collaborate to obtain otherwise inaccessible goals may be one main cause for our success as a species. Comparative psychological research with children and our closest primate relatives is starting to elucidate the phylogenetic roots as well as the unique psychological mechanisms that support our cooperative behavior. For mutually beneficial collaboration, individuals need (1) cognitive mechanisms to coordinate actions with partners and (2) mechanisms to distribute the acquired resources in a way that incentivizes partners to continue collaborating. Several recent studies suggest that we share with chimpanzees many of the cognitive mechanisms required for successful coordination: chimpanzees understand the need to act jointly with a partner, that is, recruiting the partner when the problem requires collaboration and even helping her to perform her role. However, in contrast to very young children, they do not seem well equipped to share resources obtained through joint effort. Chimpanzees' competitive nature around food constrains their sharing behavior, and because they do not share differently after individual or collaborative effort, partners lose motivation to continue collaborating. All this suggests that higher interindividual tolerance around food and mechanisms to counteract bullying behavior and share the spoils after a collaborative effort are probably derived human traits.

The Evolution of I-Language: Lexicalization as the Key Evolutionary Novelty

Comparative psychological research suggests that human and non-human minds comprise an array of encapsulated cognitive systems (‘core knowledge systems’). While most of these cognitive building blocks appear to be shared across species, the cognitive gap between human and non-human minds is nevertheless quite stunning (Hauser’s Paradox). Following recent ideas concerning the crucial role of human word learning in cognitive development, it is here suggested that lexicalization — the association of concepts with words — is the key evolutionary novelty that allows linguistic minds to integrate the various encapsulated conceptual resources into a common mental language.

Praxic and executive components in tool use learning: The role of imitation

Recent research in comparative psychology suggests that similarities between the behaviour of two individuals may not be the consequence of imitation only, but also of nonimitative social-learning processes. In the present study we aimed to investigate whether these alternative learning processes can take place in human adults, specifically in patients whose ability to imitate has been reduced by brain damage. Left (LBD) and right (RBD) brain-damaged patients were asked to perform four tool use tasks in three experimental conditions: exposure to the apparatus (N); demonstration of the correct solution (C); and demonstration of a failed attempt followed by the correct solution to the problem (I + C). Results suggest that the left hemisphere is indeed critical for action and that selective neuropsychological deficits can affect action imitation and selection of goal-directed movements, independently from each other. Findings also indicate that when the ability to imitate actions is lowered emulation may become available.

Differentiation in cognitive and emotional meanings: An evolutionary analysis

It is often argued that human emotions, and the cognitions that accompany them, involve refinements of, and extensions to, more basic functionality shared with other species. Such refinements may rely on common or on distinct processes and representations. Multi-level theories of cognition and affect make distinctions between qualitatively different types of representations often dealing with bodily, affective and cognitive attributes of self-related meanings. This paper will adopt a particular multi-level perspective on mental architecture and show how a mechanism of subsystem differentiation could have allowed an evolutionarily “old” role for emotion in the control of action to have altered into one more closely coupled to meaning systems. We conclude by outlining some illustrative consequences of our analysis that might usefully be addressed in research in comparative psychology, cognitive archaeology, and in laboratory research on memory for emotional material.