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.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Apr 13th, 9:00 AM Apr 13th, 10:00 AM

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.