Learning in an insect herbivore: How rewards affect color and odor discrimination in a hungry locust.

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Learning in an insect herbivore How rewards
affect color and odor discrimination in a hungry
locust.

• Dr. Martin S. Shapiro
• California State University, Fresno
• Dr. Spencer Behmer
• Oxford University
• Corlisa Belt
• Oxford University

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Animals in Psychology
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Mollusks
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Honeybees
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Schistocerca gregaria
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Two-sided Y-maze
Two-Sided Y-Maze
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Enclosure
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Experiment 1

• Color discrimination Yellow and Green.
• Amount of reward 3 mg vs. 12 mg wheat grass.
• Nine choices Equated experience with both
  options.
• Measured Choice and response Latency.
• n 12

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Enter Time
Choice of Green
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Approach Time
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Exit Time
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Forced Exposure
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(No Transcript)
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Choice of Yellow
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CHOICE
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CHOICE
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Enter Time
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Approach Time
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Exit Time
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Experiment 2

• Odor Discrimination Peppermint and Lemon.
• Amount of reward 3 mg vs. 12 mg.
• Nine choices Equated experience with both
  options.
• Reversed Rewards reversed for each option for an
  additional 9 choice runs (18 choices in total).
• n 12

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Odor Arm
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CHOICE
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CHOICE
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Enter Time
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Approach Time
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Exit Time
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Experiment 3

• Odor Discrimination Peppermint and Lemon.
• Artificial Diet
• 21 protein 21 carbohydrate
• 7 protein 7 carbohydrate
• Nine choices Equated Experience with both
  options.
• n 12

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CHOICE
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Enter Time
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Approach Time
P 0.038
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Exit Time
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Summary

• Good choice results.
• Good discrimination of color and odor. (odor
  showed less bias.)
• Approach time was significant in all three
  experiments. by latency

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Continuing work at Cal State Fresnowith
Schistocerca americana
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Future Experiments

• Delay to Reinforcement.
• Self Control.
• Risk Sensitivity.
• Energy Expenditures.
• Effects of Carbohydrates and Proteins on
  Learning.
• Nutrient-Specific Deprivation.
• Risk Sensitivity with variability in specific
  nutrients.

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THANK YOU!!!