6533b853fe1ef96bd12acddc
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Conceptualization of relative size by honeybees
Marita MetzlerAdrian G. DyerDaniele D’amaroAurore Avarguès-webersubject
Relational concept learningComputer scienceCognitive NeuroscienceHoneybeeStimulus (physiology)lcsh:RC321-57103 medical and health sciences[SCCO]Cognitive scienceBehavioral Neuroscience0302 clinical medicineAnimal modelOriginal Research Articlelcsh:Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. NeuropsychiatryComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS030304 developmental biology0303 health sciencesConceptualizationbusiness.industry[SCCO.NEUR]Cognitive science/Neuroscience[SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biologyRelative sizeLong wavelengthNeuropsychology and Physiological Psychology[SCCO.PSYC]Cognitive science/PsychologyArtificial intelligenceApis melliferabusinessLong wavelength photoreceptor030217 neurology & neurosurgeryNeurosciencedescription
The ability to process visual information using relational rules allows for decisions independent of the specific physical attributes of individual stimuli. Until recently, the manipulation of relational concepts was considered as a prerogative of large mammalian brains. Here we show that individual free flying honeybees can learn to use size relationship rules to choose either the larger or smaller stimulus as the correct solution in a given context, and subsequently apply the learnt rule to novel colors and shapes providing that there is sufficient input to the long wavelength (green) photoreceptor channel. Our results add a novel, size-based conceptual rule to the set of relational concepts that honeybees have been shown to master and underline the value of bees as an animal model for studying the emergence of conceptualization abilities.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-03-14 | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |