Japanese Journal of Animal Psychology 

About: Japanese Journal of Animal Psychology is an academic journal published by The Japanese Society for Animal Psychology. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Cognition & Comparative psychology. It has an ISSN identifier of 0916-8419. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 355 publications have been published receiving 538 citations. The journal is also known as: Japanese journal of animal psychology.

Role of Surprising Nonreward in Associative Learning

Abstract: Early experimental accounts of learning assumed that reinforcement strengthened associative bonds whereas nonreinforcement weakened them. Strengthening-weakening models explain the adjustment of nonmammalian species to downshifts in incentive magnitude, but fail to explain a mammalian phenomenon known as successive negative contrast (SNC). In SNC, exposure to incentive downshift leads to poorer performance than that of unshifted controls. SNC forced the development of new learning models emphasizing the acquisition of expectancies and the induction of emotional responses when expectancies are violated. Comparative research suggests a distinction between allocentric learning (tracking changes in the environment) and egocentric learning (remembering the emotional response to environmental changes). Recent research shows that egocentric learning in the SNC situation is modulated by the opioid system. Similar modulation is observed in situations involving physical pain, fear, and social exclusion. An evolutionary hypothesis about the evolution of egocentric learning mechanisms suggests deep connections between the brain circuits controlling fear, frustration, and possibly grief.

How intelligent are dolphins? A partial answer based on their ability to plan their behavior when confronted with novel problems

Abstract: The nature and extent of dolphin intelligence has long intrigued humans. Unequivocal answers to the question “how intelligent are dolphins?” have proven evasive due to both the existing myriad views of intelligence and the ambiguity of much spontaneous dolphin behavior. In this paper, we focus on one aspect of intelligence, namely the ability to plan one's behavior in a meaningful way. The generalized ability to create novel and appropriate behavioral plans when confronted with new problems has obvious evolutionary advantages, but has been found in relatively few species. The studies reported in this paper demonstrate planning behaviors in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in conditions quite different from those that occur during dolphin foraging and mating (two areas in which wild dolphins may engage in planning). The dolphins' ability to plan their behaviors in these novel contexts provides additional evidence that generalized planning ability is not unique to humans, and demonstrate that human-like language is not required for generalized planning skills. These findings also suggest that in addition to species niche specific cognitive abilities, generalized cognitive abilities may play an important role in the evolutionary success of some species.

An integrative approach to the study of 'theory-of-mind'-like abilities in ravens

Abstract: Due to new impressive results in primates and even non-primates such as dogs, dolphins, and corvids, the question whether or not non-human animals possess elements of a ‘Theory of Mind’ (ToM) has recently gained momentum. Indeed, attempts have been put forward to test species with ecologically relevant tasks, leading to the development of new test paradigms, such as the competitive conspecific or ignorant helper, and to run controls for behaviour-based alternatives. I here argue for strengthening this integrative approach and present preliminary data from our model system, the common raven Corvus corax. Based on observations of tactical manoeuvres of wild and captive ravens during foraging, we have tested the ability of hand-raised birds to differentiate between conspecifics that do and do not know about cache locations because they have or have not been able to see the caches being made. In addition to this version of guesser-knower experiments, we have been investigating (i) if the birds' performance is affected by the manipulation of observable cues, (ii) how likely the performance can be achieved by attending to observable cues, (iii) how flexibly birds can apply their skills across contexts, (iv) how the skills develop during ontogeny and (v) how they are affected by experience. The potential implications of incorporating tests for behavioural cueing and learning as well as the issues of ontogeny and flexibility to studies on ToM are discussed.

A complex adaptive system may be essential for cumulative modifications in tool design

Abstract: The cumulative modification of tool designs over time is a crucial development for technological evolution. Cognitive-related prerequisites for this technological capability are innovative behaviour and the faithful inter-generational transmission and maintenance of tool designs by accurate social learning processes. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that a complex of morphological and behavioural adaptations specifically for tool skills is also required. In a novel analysis we compared the tool-associated adaptive patterns in Homo erectus and the New Caledonian crow. Both species provide the most convincing early Homo and nonhuman evidence, respectively, for the making of cumulatively modified tools. We identified probable shared traits in H. erectus and the New Caledonian crow that include morphological adaptations specifically for enhanced tool manipulation and a significant component of daily diet from hunting and/or processing animal food with tools. We propose that a tool-using lifestyle based on animal food that confers a reproductive advantage and evolves enhanced tool manipulation skills, together with appropriate innovative ability and social learning processes, may be essential for cumulative modification of tool designs.

Subjective contours, amodal completion, and transparency in animals

Abstract: Perception of 'subjective contours', 'amodal completion', and 'transparency' is one of the controversial problems in human perception studies of the day. This paper attempts to outline the studies focused on perception of these phenomena in a variety of animals. Dozens of results have indicated that animals are capable of perceiving some of these phenomena except pigeons in amodal completion. It is also reported that perception of tested animals is comparable to that of humans'. Moreover, we reviewed some neurophysiological studies that examined some brain areas related to the perception. Our review of the studies suggest that the process for these perceptual phenomena is common among animals, including humans, and that process is involved in figure-ground segregation and surface perception. However, clarification of the process awaits further studies that directly compare humans and animals.