scholarly journals Squirrel monkey responses to information from social demonstration and individual exploration using touchscreen and object choice tasks

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Renner ◽  
Mark Atkinson ◽  
Christine A. Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Poor Performance ◽  
Physical Object ◽  
Squirrel Monkeys ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Task Structure ◽  
Subsequent Test ◽  
Object Choice ◽  
Learning Conditions ◽  
Information Trial ◽  
Choice Tasks

We aimed to study whether a non-human primate species responded differently to information acquired socially compared with that acquired individually. To do so, we attempted to train squirrel monkeys to perform binary discriminations. These involved exposure to either social information (human or puppet demonstrator performs an initial ‘information trial’) or individual exploration (monkey performs information trial as well as subsequent test trials). In Experiment 1, we presented the task on a touchscreen tablet. Only one monkey appeared to learn the significance of the information trial, and across the group there was no improvement in performance over sessions. The proficient individual showed little evidence of successful transfer to three-way discrimination problems, suggesting limited representation of the task structure. In Experiment 2, we used a logically identical task, presented as a physical object choice (inverted cups concealing a food reward). No monkeys learned to use the information trial cues, and success again did not increase over sessions. We concluded that the monkeys’ poor performance in Experiment 1 was not attributable to the mode of presentation (touchscreen), but reflected real difficulties with mastering the task structure. For both experiments, we analysed the monkeys’ spontaneous responses to the different trial types (social-win, social-lose, individual-win, and individual-lose). We found that monkeys had a tendency to repeat selections made during the information trial, whether these were made by themselves or by a demonstrator. This tendency to repeat was observed even following lose trials (i.e. when incorrect). Apparent ‘success’ following win trials was probably largely an artefact of behavioural inertia (individual learning conditions) and stimulus enhancement (social learning conditions), rather than sensitivity to the reward cues associated with that stimulus. Although monkeys did respond somewhat differently (more repeats) following win trials, compared with lose trials, this was no more apparent in the object choice task than the touchscreen task, again suggesting that the less ecologically valid presentation medium did not actively disrupt potential for learning the discrimination rule. Both touchscreen and physical object choice tasks appear to be valid methods to study learning in squirrel monkeys, with neither method giving a clear performance advantage over the other. However, this population did not master the contingencies in these tasks.

Socio-technical systems theory as a diagnostic tool for examining underutilization of wiki technology

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea J. Hester
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Diagnostic Tool ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Measurement Instrument ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Task Structure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technical Systems

Purpose – This paper aims to examine organizational information systems based on Web 2.0 technology as socio-technical systems that involve interacting relationships among actors, structure, tasks and technology. Alignment within the relationships may facilitate increased technology use; however, gaps in alignment may impede technology use and result in poor performance or system failure. The technology examined is an organizational wiki used for collaborative knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach – Results of a survey administered to employees of an organization providing cloud computing services are presented. The research model depicts the socio-technical component relationships and their influence on use of the wiki. Hierarchical latent variable modelling is used to operationalize the six main constructs. Hypotheses propose that as alignment of a relationship increases, wiki use increases. The partial least squares (PLS) method is used to examine the hypotheses. Findings – Based on the results, increased perceptions of alignment among technology and structure increase wiki use. Further analysis indicates that low usage may be linked to gaps in alignment. Many respondents with lower usage scores also indicated “low alignment” among actor-task, actor-technology, and task-structure. Research limitations/implications – The sample size is rather small; however, results may give an indication as to the appropriateness of dimensions chosen to represent the alignment relationships. Socio-technical systems theory (STS) is often utilized in qualitative studies. This paper introduces a measurement instrument designed to evaluate STS through quantitative analysis. Practical implications – User acceptance and change management continue to be important topics for both researchers and practitioners. The model proposed here provides measures that may reveal predictive indicators for increased information system use. Alternatively, practitioners may be able to utilize a diagnostic tool as presented here to assess underlying factors that may be impeding effective technology utilization. Originality/value – The paper presents a diagnostic tool that may help management to better uncover misaligned relationships leading to underutilization of technology. Practical advice and guidelines are provided allowing for a plan to rectify the situation and improve technology usage and performance outcomes.

The performance of stray dogs (Canis familiaris) living in a shelter on human-guided object-choice tasks

2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 717-725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique A.R. Udell ◽  
Nicole R. Dorey ◽  
Clive D.L. Wynne
Keyword(s):  
Canis Familiaris ◽  
Stray Dogs ◽  
Object Choice ◽  
Choice Tasks

Chimpanzees’ (Pan troglodytes) use of gaze cues in object-choice tasks: different methods yield different results

2004 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen Barth ◽  
James E. Reaux ◽  
Daniel J. Povinelli
Keyword(s):  
Pan Troglodytes ◽  
Object Choice ◽  
Choice Tasks ◽  
Gaze Cues

Use of experimenter-given cues during object-choice tasks by capuchin monkeys

1995 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 201-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Anderson ◽  
Patrick Sallaberry ◽  
Hugo Barbier
Keyword(s):  
Capuchin Monkeys ◽  
Object Choice ◽  
Choice Tasks

scholarly journals Retrospective confidence judgments across tasks: domain-general processes underlying metacognitive accuracy

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Mazancieux ◽  
Stephen M Fleming ◽  
Céline Souchay ◽  
Chris Moulin
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Model ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Task Structure ◽  
Hierarchical Bayesian Model ◽  
First Order ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Confidence Judgments ◽  
Domain Generality ◽  
Forced Choice Tasks ◽  
Choice Tasks

Is metacognition a general resource shared across domains? Previous research has documented consistent biases in confidence judgments across tasks. However, the ability to discriminate between correct and incorrect answers (metacognitive sensitivity) is often held to be domain-specific, based on non-significant correlations across domains. Such null findings may be due to low statistical power and differences in task structure or performance, thereby masking a latent domain-generality in metacognition. We examined across-domain correlations in bias and sensitivity in a large sample (N=181). Participants performed four two-alternative-forced-choice tasks (episodic memory, semantic memory, executive function, and visual perception) with trial-by-trial confidence judgments. We found significant correlations between metacognitive biases across tasks. By applying a hierarchical Bayesian model to estimate cross-task covariance, we found significant correlations in metacognitive efficiency (meta-d’/d’) across tasks, even for pairs of tasks in which first-order performance was not correlated. This suggests a domain-general resource supporting metacognitive sensitivity in retrospective confidence.

scholarly journals Olfactory sensitivity for aliphatic alcohols in squirrel monkeys and pigtail macaques

2002 ◽  
Vol 205 (11) ◽  
pp. 1633-1643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Laska ◽  
Alexandra Seibt
Keyword(s):  
Detection Threshold ◽  
Squirrel Monkeys ◽  
Aliphatic Alcohols ◽  
Macaca Nemestrina ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Saimiri Sciureus ◽  
Carbon Chain Length ◽  
Olfactory Sensitivity ◽  
Olfactory Detection ◽  
Pigtail Macaques

SUMMARY The view that primates are microsmatic animals is based mainly on an interpretation of neuroanatomical features, whereas physiological evidence of a poorly developed sense of smell in this order of mammals is largely lacking. Using a conditioning paradigm, we therefore assessed the olfactory sensitivity of three squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) and of four pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina) for a homologous series of aliphatic alcohols (ethanol to 1-octanol) and isomeric forms of some of these substances. In the majority of cases, the animals of both species significantly discriminated concentrations below 1 part per million from the odourless solvent, and with 1-hexanol individual monkeys even demonstrated thresholds below 10 parts per billion. The results showed (i) that both primate species have a well-developed olfactory sensitivity for aliphatic alcohols, which for the majority of substances matches or even is better than that of species such as the rat, (ii) that both species generally show very similar olfactory detection thresholds for aliphatic alcohols, and (iii) that a significant negative correlation between perceptibility in terms of olfactory detection threshold and carbon chain length of both the aliphatic 1-and 2-alcohols exists in both species. These findings support the idea that across-species comparisons of neuroanatomical features are a poor predictor of olfactory performance and that general labels such as `microsmat' or`macrosmat', which are usually based on allometric comparisons of olfactory brain structures, are inadequate to describe the olfactory capabilities of a species. Further, our findings suggest that olfaction may play an important and hitherto underestimated role in the regulation of behaviour in the species tested.

scholarly journals Captive gibbons (Hylobatidae) use different referential cues in an object-choice task: insights into lesser ape cognition and manual laterality

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai R. Caspar ◽  
Larissa Mader ◽  
Fabian Pallasdies ◽  
Miriam Lindenmeier ◽  
Sabine Begall
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cues ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Great Apes ◽  
Choice Task ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Human Communication ◽  
Object Choice ◽  
Object Choice Task ◽  
Hand Preferences

Background Utilization of visual referential cues by non-human primates is a subject of constant scientific interest. However, only few primate species, mostly great apes, have been studied thoroughly in that regard, rendering the understanding of phylogenetic influences on the underlying cognitive patterns difficult. Methods We tested six species of captive gibbons in an object-choice task (n = 11) for their ability to interpret two different pointing gestures, a combination of body orientation and gaze direction as well as glancing as referential cues. Hand preferences were tested in the object-choice task and in a bimanual tube task (n = 18). Results We found positive responses to all signals except for the glancing cue at the individual as well as at the group level. The gibbons’ success rates partially exceed results reported for great apes in comparable tests and appear to be similarly influenced by prior exposure to human communicative cues. Hand preferences exhibited by the gibbons in the object-choice task as well as in a bimanual tube task suggest that crested gibbons (Nomascus sp.) are strongly lateralized at individual but not at population level for tasks involving object manipulation. Discussion Based on the available data, it can be assumed that the cognitive foundations to utilize different visual cues essential to human communication are conserved in extant hominoids and can be traced back at least to the common ancestor of great and lesser apes. However, future studies have to further investigate how the social environment of gibbons influences their ability to exploit referential signals. Gibbons’ manual laterality patterns appear to differ in several aspects from the situation found in great apes. While not extensive enough to allow for general conclusions about the evolution of hand preferences in gibbons or apes in general, our results add to the expanding knowledge on manual lateralization in the Hylobatidae.

scholarly journals Downregulation of p56lck Tyrosine Kinase Activity in T Cells of Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) Correlates with the Nontransforming and Apathogenic Properties of Herpesvirus Saimiri in Its Natural Host

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (19) ◽  
pp. 9252-9261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timm Greve ◽  
Gültekin Tamgüney ◽  
Bernhard Fleischer ◽  
Helmut Fickenscher ◽  
Barbara M. Bröker
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Squirrel Monkeys ◽  
Natural Host ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Saimiri Sciureus ◽  
Herpesvirus Saimiri ◽  
Endogenous Virus

ABSTRACT Herpesvirus saimiri is capable of transforming T lymphocytes of various primate species to stable growth in culture. The interaction of the T-cellular tyrosine kinase p56 lck with the transformation-associated viral protein Tip has been shown before to activate the kinase and provides one model for the T-cell-specific transformation by herpesvirus saimiri subgroup C strains. In contrast to other primate species, squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) are naturally infected with the virus without signs of lymphoma or other disease. Although the endogenous virus was regularly recovered from peripheral blood cells from squirrel monkeys, we observed that the T cells lost the virus genomes in culture. Superinfection with virus strain C488 did not induce growth transformation, in contrast to parallel experiments with T cells of other primate species. Surprisingly, p56 lck was enzymatically inactive in primary T-cell lines derived from different squirrel monkeys, although the T cells reacted appropriately to stimulatory signals. The cDNA sequence revealed minor point mutations only, and transfections in COS-7 cells demonstrated that the S. sciureus lck gene codes for a functional enzyme. In S. sciureus, the tyrosine kinase p56 lck was not activated after T-cell stimulation and enzymatic activity could not be induced by Tip of herpesvirus saimiri C488. However, the suppression of p56 lck was partially released after administration of the phosphatase inhibitor pervanadate. This argues for unique species-specific conditions in T cells of S. sciureus which may interfere with the transforming activity and pathogenicity of herpesvirus saimiri subgroup C strains in their natural host.

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