Humans and other animals must constantly make decisions about how best to respond in a wide range of situations. To decide effectively, they need information about the various alternatives available. Individuals can gather relevant details themselves (‘private’ information), or they can garner information from the communicatory signals or behavioural cues of others (‘social’ or ‘public’ information). In all cases, individuals would benefit by taking into account the reliability of both the information and the information provider. While some research has examined the importance of reliability when utilising private information, far less is known about how it affects the use of social or public information. A few previous studies have demonstrated that decision-makers adjust their behaviour depending on the category (e.g. sex, dominance status) of the information provider. Domestic fowl, for example, learn more from dominant demonstrators but it is unclear why this is so. Dominant birds may command attention for a variety of reasons. We plan to investigate whether individuals monitor their group-mates over time, and thus assess reliability on an individual level. We will then examine whether prior knowledge about the reliability of particular group-mates affects social learning. Fowl offer an ideal opportunity to examine this issue in detail because they live in small, stable social groups in which individuals interact repeatedly and the monitoring of group-mates is known to occur. Moreover, it is possible to collect not only behavioural indicators of learning and assessment, but also non-invasive measures (such as heart-rate and temperature) of physiological stress. The reliability of different group-mates when foraging and vigilant will be artificially manipulated. We predict that individuals will pay more attention, and thus learn more quickly, from reliable group-mates, and that foraging in their presence will also be less stressful.
Funding Notes
The studentship is one of a number advertised under a competitive BBSRC quota doctoral training grant scheme. All available studentships and further information on the application process and eligibility requirements can be viewed at: http://www.vetschool.bris.ac.uk/research/postgrads/studentship/
The successful studentship/s will run for 4 years and will provide a stipend at standard BBSRC rates plus fees. Veterinary graduates will receive an enhanced stipend.
More information here
Funding Notes
The studentship is one of a number advertised under a competitive BBSRC quota doctoral training grant scheme. All available studentships and further information on the application process and eligibility requirements can be viewed at: http://www.vetschool.bris.ac.uk/research/postgrads/studentship/
The successful studentship/s will run for 4 years and will provide a stipend at standard BBSRC rates plus fees. Veterinary graduates will receive an enhanced stipend.
More information here