Award details

Investigating social learning strategies using nine-spined sticklebacks

Reference	BB/C005430/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Kevin Laland
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of St Andrews
Department	Biology
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	182,878
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/06/2005
End date	31/08/2008
Duration	39 months

Abstract

Animals, including humans, are widely assumed to benefit by copying others because by doing so they gain relevant information cheaply. However, recent game-theoretical and population-genetic theory suggest this argument is flawed. Copying others indiscriminately is not adaptive; rather, individuals must use social learning selectively, and in accordance with evolved strategies that specify the contexts under which individuals exploit socially available information. The principle goal of this research proposal is to conduct laboratory experimental work investigating when animals will copy others, with public-information use in 9-spined sticklebacks as the model system. Laboratory experiments with fish will test theoretically derived hypotheses relating to the specific adaptive strategies animals employ when they learn from others. Strategies to be evaluated include copy if better, copy in proportion to demonstrators payoff, copy if dissatisfied and copy the majority. A secondary goal is to use the data generated to inform the development of further evolutionary game theory analyses of learning strategies. The experiments and theory together will lead to a deeper understanding of animal social learning and public information use, and will be of broad interest to a large number of researchers (including behavioural biologists, economists, psychologists and robotic engineers).

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	Neuroscience and Behaviour
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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