Associative learning is inversely related to reversal learning and varies with nestling corticosterone exposure

Abstract

Associative learning is inversely related to reversal learning in adult Florida scrub-jays and varies with nestling corticosterone exposure Intraspecies differences are cornerstone to natural selection, yet individual differences in cognition in free-living populations have received little attention. Proactive and reactive coping styles describe individual differences in personality and related stress physiology; however, the coping style model can be extended to include predictions regarding measures of cognition. We compared two measures of personality (neophobia and exploratory behaviour) included in the coping style model to cognitive performance on colour-based associative and reversal learning tests in adult Florida scrub-jays, Aphelocoma coerulescens. Also, as exogenous glucocorticoid treatment can affect cognitive performance, we examined whether an individual's naturally occurring physiological phenotype, reflected by corticosterone measures obtained during development and at the time of the learning tests, covaried with learning performance. Performance on associative and reversal learning tests were inversely related. Scrub-jays with low levels of corticosterone as 11 day-old nestlings performed better on an associative learning test as adults, and there was a marginally nonsignificant trend for nestlings with high levels of corticosterone to perform better on a reversal learning test. There was also a marginally nonsignificant trend for neophobic birds to perform better on reversal learning tests. There were no relationships either between adult stress-induced corticosterone levels and learning or exploratory behaviour and learning. Our findings provide evidence that variation in sensitivity to environmental conditions, as reflected by an individual"s coping style, underlie the specific strategy by which individuals perform cognitive tasks (i.e., cognitive style). Florida scrub-jays experience a trade-off in performance between types of learning that covary with early corticosterone exposure.

Testing the predictions of coping styles theory in threespined sticklebacks

“…Moreover, less stress reactive individuals learned faster, and bolder individuals learned faster (similar to Bebus et al, 2016). While the effects of cortisol on learning and memory can be quite dynamic, these findings are consistent with previous research suggesting that long-term baseline elevations in cortisol impede learning (Lupien et al, 1998, 2009).…”

“…It is possible that the number of mistakes during the first reversal session might be a better measure of behavioral flexibility than time to criterion (Bebus et al, 2016; Bond et al, 2007). For example, individual differences in time to reversal criterion might reflect a general difference in learning performance rate, whereas initial performance (number of mistakes) might more effectively capture how individuals immediately respond to a change in the environment.…”

“…Additionally, there has been increased interest in how individual variation in cognition may correspond with consistent individual differences in behavior, or animal personalities (Budaev and Brown, 2011; Carere and Locurto, 2011; Locurto, 2007; Sih and Del Giudice, 2012). As a result, studies exploring the nature of the correlations between various animal personality axes and cognitive differences are on the rise (e.g., Bebus et al, 2016; Ruiz-Gomez et al, 2011; Sneddon 2003; also see Guillette et al 2017), and more attention is being called to developing best-practices for examining cognitive differences to address these types of questions (Griffen et al, 2015). However, the proximate and ultimate causes of correlations between cognition and behavior are presently unknown.…”

“…However very few studies have characterized HPA axis function, behavior, and cognition simultaneously, and those that have tend to mostly focus on selected lines or domesticated animals (e.g. Benus et al, 1990; Bolhuis et al, 2004; Øverli et al, 2002; but see Bebus et al, 2016; Øverli et al, 2007). Attempts to simultaneously characterize several different facets of coping styles in natural populations are rare due to the time intensive nature of collecting extensive individual-based data on many subjects.…”

Seasonal changes in neophobia and its consistency in rooks: the effect of novelty type and dominance position

“…Bebus, Small, Jones, Elderbrock, & Schoech, 2016). In fact, 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).…”