Variables affecting alternation behavior in the cockroach,Blatta orientalis

Abstract

To investigate alternation behavior in the cockroach as an invertebrate, three T-maze experiments were conducted assessing the effects of (a) intratrial (exposure) and intertrial (exposure to test) interval, (b)brightness similarity of the alternatives and response-direction factors, and (c) an initial free-choice vs. a varying number of forced-choice exposures. Alternation was enhanced with a long exposure on Trial l , a short interval between Triall and Trial 2 (test), greater dissimilarity (or discriminability) of the arm brightnesses and more frequent forced-choice exposures to an arm prior to test. These. results highlight the role of intramaze brightness cues as controlling alternation in the cockroach and accord well with a response-to-change interpretation of the phenomenon. In addition, they suggest that the alternation paradigm can be used effectively to assay short-term memory storage in neurologically simple organisms. Schultz, 1964). Apart from investigations employing rat and human subjects, however, the research with other organisms has served mainly to document the occurrence of alternation, for there has been little study of variables controlling the phenomenon.The purpose of the present study was to extend investigation of the phenomenon in lower organisms by assessing factors affecting alternation in the cockroach as an invertebrate. Such an investigation is particularly important when it is considered that recent research with the rat (e.g., Bronstein, Dworkin, Bilder, & Wolkoff, 1974;Douglas, 1966; Eisenberger, Myers, Sanders, & Shanab, 1970) has contested the basis on which alternation occurs. Using the rat literature as a guide, the present study investigated six variables treated two at a time in three independent experiments which were ordered so as to facilitate parameter selection. In succession, the three experiments assessed the effects of: (1) intratrial (exposure) and intertrial (exposure to test) interval, (2) brightness similarity of the choice alternatives and response-direction factors, and (3) an initial free-vs. a varying number of forced-choice exposures.

Mechanisms for turn alternation in woodlice (Porcellio scaber): The role of bilaterally asymmetrical leg movements

“…Unlike spontaneous alternation observed in rats and other vertebrates (Dember, 1961), most arthropod alternation is generated by response rather than environmental stimulus cues (although Wilson & Fowler, 1976, have observed stimulus alternation in the cockroach, Blatta orientalis). Corballis and Beale (1983) have discussed arthropod alternation within a broader context by suggesting that it may reflect an innate ability to perform left-right response differentiation since the animal turns left or right in the absence of any external directional cues.…”

Uncertainty processing in bees exposed to free choices: Lessons from vertebrates

“…Owing to the quasirandom distribution of resources in the environment, animals have to explore the surroundings, especially when the environment is unknown and some information is needed. Exploration is commonly met among vertebrates (e.g., Bean, Mason, & Bateson, 1999;Forkman, 1996) as well as invertebrates (e.g., Anselme, 2013Anselme, , 2015bMailleux, Devigne, Deneubourg, & Detrain, 2010;Wilson & Fowler, 1976). Bees also explore their surroundings in the search of significant information (Jander, 1997).…”

Spontaneous alternation behavior in larval zebrafish

“…This led to an increased rate of SAB (Dember and Richman, 1989). Besides rodents, SAB has also been described in humans (Vecera et al, 1991), marmosets (Izumi et al, 2013), rabbits (Hughes, 1973), cats (Frederickson and Frederickson, 1979), cockroaches (Wilson and Fowler, 1976), fruit flies (Bicker and Spatz, 1976), goldfish (Aderman and Dawson, 1970;Fidura and Leberer, 1974) and coral reef fish (Bate and Kirkby, 1977), among many other species.…”