Event Title
Visual Learning and Discrimination of Abstract Shapes by Crayfish
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Biomedical Sciences
Mentor Information
Dan Bergman, bergmand@gvsu.edu
Department
Biomedical Sciences
Location
Kirkhof Center KC 84
Start Date
13-4-2011 9:00 AM
End Date
13-4-2011 10:00 AM
Keywords
Life Science
Abstract
When multiple sensory stimuli are detected, there is the potential for a learned association to form between the stimuli. The animal may learn and show a response originally associated with one stimulus when it now detects the second stimulus. We have tested the learning capabilities of crayfish by testing the ability to associate abstract visual shapes with food stimuli. The conditioning trials involve giving the crayfish a five-minute acclimation period in the testing tank and then releasing them for twenty minutes to explore and have the opportunity to view the visual symbol in the presence of a food stimulus. Eventually the food stimulus is removed after continued exposure to the stimuli and if a learned association between the visual symbol and food stimulus occurs, we would expect crayfish to spend a greater amount of time near the learned "reward" symbol even when food is absent. From our results, they appear capable of learning abstract visual symbols.
Visual Learning and Discrimination of Abstract Shapes by Crayfish
Kirkhof Center KC 84
When multiple sensory stimuli are detected, there is the potential for a learned association to form between the stimuli. The animal may learn and show a response originally associated with one stimulus when it now detects the second stimulus. We have tested the learning capabilities of crayfish by testing the ability to associate abstract visual shapes with food stimuli. The conditioning trials involve giving the crayfish a five-minute acclimation period in the testing tank and then releasing them for twenty minutes to explore and have the opportunity to view the visual symbol in the presence of a food stimulus. Eventually the food stimulus is removed after continued exposure to the stimuli and if a learned association between the visual symbol and food stimulus occurs, we would expect crayfish to spend a greater amount of time near the learned "reward" symbol even when food is absent. From our results, they appear capable of learning abstract visual symbols.