Receiver Psychology and the Value of Information

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

Historically, studies of animal signalling have taken one of two approaches. They may take an economic approach focusing on the costs and benefits of signalling, or a psychological approach that considers the role of learning, memory and discrimination in signal processing. This project will develop and test models of signal-use that combine these approaches. To achieve this, the project will focus on a natural phenomenon known as aposematism or warning coloration, in which bright or distinctive coloration seems to advertise that a potential prey animal is distasteful or unprofitable. The proposed studies will use ideas from psychology to measure and manipulate the relative conspicuousness of experimental food items while simultaneously manipulating the costs and benefits of attacking these food items. A key innovation here is that psychological techniques will provide rigorous and objective measures of conspicousness. The models developed here predict that the protection provided by warning coloration depends on 1) conspicousness, 2) the abundance of distasteful or bad prey; 3) the reliablity of the association between coloration and prey quality; and 4) the costs and benefits associated with consuming good and bad food items. Several experiments will use captive animals (blue jays) in highly controlled laboratory situations to explore the effects of these four fundamental variables. It is expected that this combination of models and experimentation will validate and refine a new approach to animal signal use, and this will help investigators frame more precise questions about signalling and signal discrimination. Students of animal signalling often describe signals as ?exaggerated? or ?conspicuous,? but in practice these terms are rather vague and anthropomorphic. This research will show how future investigators can use ideas derived from psychological studies of discrimination to provide objective and measureable definitions for these basic concepts. The proposed research will also have strong broader impacts because it will facilitate the participation of 16 undergraduate students in the research. These students will participate in a ?practicum in experimental behavioral ecology?.Working in groups of four, they will collaborate to implement and publish one of the studies in the proposed research. In addition, they will take part in a year-long seminar course with instruction in underlying scientific concepts, experimental design and scientific writing.