Weiss Omri, Segev Elad, Eilam David
Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Anim Cogn. 2015 Jan;18(1):39-51. doi: 10.1007/s10071-014-0775-7. Epub 2014 Jun 24.
When animals explore an unfamiliar environment, they gather information that enables them to form a cognitive representation of that environment and to use it subsequently in traveling there. In the present study, rats were tested in a large arena as singles, then in dyads, and finally, again as singles, in order to examine the effect of the social environment on exploration. Traveling in dyads facilitated exploration compared to the behavior of the same rats when they explored alone. Specifically, each rat in a dyad traveled a greater distance with higher velocity and took wider turns compared to its lone traveling. Moreover, rats in dyads spent a long time together, shared a home base, and when traveling in the same direction, one rat was leading the other. In addition to exploring the same locations, leaders explored more "private" locations, not visited by the other rat. Features of the dyad behavior were carried over to the behavior of the same rats when tested as individuals, after the dyad trial. Compared to singles, dyads represent the first step toward grouping, and it is suggested that the conspicuous change between the behavior of a rat as single compared to its behavior when in a dyad should be greater than any further changes that may occur in spatial cognitive behavior of triads, quartets, or larger groups. In other words, while the present changes in spatial cognition observed in dyads represent a small step toward grouping, they are a giant leap for the individual.
当动物探索一个陌生环境时，它们会收集信息，这些信息使它们能够形成对该环境的认知表征，并随后在前往该环境时加以利用。在本研究中，大鼠先单独在一个大竞技场中接受测试，然后成对接受测试，最后再次单独接受测试，以检验社会环境对探索的影响。与单独探索时相比，成对探索时大鼠的探索行为更活跃。具体而言，与单独行动时相比，成对的每只大鼠移动的距离更远、速度更快，转弯幅度更大。此外，成对的大鼠会长时间待在一起，共用一个大本营，并且在同向移动时，一只大鼠会带领另一只。除了探索相同的地点外，领头的大鼠还会探索更多另一只大鼠未去过的“私密”地点。成对行为的特征在成对试验后，当这些大鼠作为个体接受测试时，会延续到它们的个体行为中。与单独行动的大鼠相比，成对行动代表了向群体行为发展的第一步，并且有人提出，大鼠单独行动与成对行动时行为的显著变化，应该大于在三联体、四联体或更大群体的空间认知行为中可能发生的任何进一步变化。换句话说，虽然目前在成对行动中观察到的空间认知变化只是向群体行为迈出的一小步，但对个体来说却是巨大的飞跃。
