EAPSI: Comparisons of conditional associations to navigate spatial location

Ruprecht Chad M, Fort Worth TX

Investigators

Abstract

The ability to use cues to navigate through the environment is a trait shared by mammals. This research focuses on spatial cognition procedures in two mammal species (rats and humans) to explore similarities and differences in learning and memory. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Tohru Taniuchi, a noted expert in comparative psychology at Kanazwa University in Japan. A major aim of the project is to explore conditional relations by setting up experiments on either a two-dimensional touchscreen monitor (humans), three-dimensional search task (humans), or an iPad equipped apparatus (rats). Making species comparisons by exploring conditional relations during search tasks will further elucidate the true psychological mechanism backing our species extraordinary ability to navigate through space. Aristotle pondered the concept of an association, contending that objects close together in space tend to be associated together, however, considerably less is known about how spatial information is encoded within a conditional relation. This project will train rats and humans that the spatial location of a hidden goal, in relation to the landmark, is entirely conditional on the conditional cue paired with it. Transfer tests will pit pre-trained conditional cues with landmarks differing from training, to assess the general excitatory, and spatial properties of the conditional cue. The results will be discussed within the backdrop of current configural and hierarchical accounts of conditional relations. The findings of this project will be incorporated into educational research examining why children have particular problems solving problems in geometry and trigonometry: two subfields of mathematics that require both conditional and spatial reasoning. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.