Lecture C2 (2025-09-16): Learning in Animal Behaviors

In this lecture, we use the foundations of learning from the previous lecture as a lens to provide perspective on several different forms of complex learning observed in animals.

Topic highlights:

• Complex natural examples of (possible) learning behaviors and how they relate to the basic models of learning
  • trial-and-error learning and relationship to operant learning
  • taste-aversion learning
    • similarities and differences with taste-aversion learning and imprinting and associative learning
    • identification of taste-aversion learning as having a separate neural mechanism (and empirical justifications for this idea)
  • cache retrieval
    • innate-versus-learned explanations for cache-retrieval behavior
      • Reforaging hypothesis
      • Searching-by-rule hypothesis
      • Learned cache retrieval hypothesis
    • innate-versus-learned explanations for cache-pilferage behavior
      • Foraging hypothesis
      • Searching-by-cue hypothesis
      • Observational-learning hypothesis
  • latent learning and cognitive maps
  • social/observational learning and pilferage
  • migration and route learning/teaching

Important terms: trial-and-error learning, taste-aversion learning, cache retrieval, observational learning, scatter hoarding, larder hoarding, reforaging, searching-by-rule, learned cache retrieval, episodic memory, pilferage, latent learning, cognitive maps, social learning, tandem running