Read on Twitter
1. We face temptation daily. Controlling impulsive behaviour (inhibitory control, IC) is key to navigating life – for humans and animals alike
Research has revealed a wide distribution of IC across vertebrate species but some groups of animals have been ignored
#AnimBehav2021
Research has revealed a wide distribution of IC across vertebrate species but some groups of animals have been ignored
#AnimBehav2021
2. So we wondered
: Are #lizards capable of inhibitory control?
We tested response inhibition (an IC subclass) in 5
species. Our aim was to measure IC across species and to find out what factors affect IC in lizards
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-020-02897-y
#AnimBehav2021
: Are #lizards capable of inhibitory control? We tested response inhibition (an IC subclass) in 5
species. Our aim was to measure IC across species and to find out what factors affect IC in lizardshttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-020-02897-y
#AnimBehav2021
3. We used the cylinder detour task in which a reward is hidden within a cylinder and needs to be retrieved through the side openings:
1) The motor response of detouring is trained with an opaque tube
2) Inhibition is tested with a (semi-) transparent tube
#AnimBehav2021
1) The motor response of detouring is trained with an opaque tube
2) Inhibition is tested with a (semi-) transparent tube
#AnimBehav2021
4. Key here is the VISIBILITY of the reward.
The #lizards might want to go directly through the barrier to retrieve the food and need to inhibit that urge. We used a mesh cylinder to allow to utilise food odour and visual information
#AnimBehav2021
The #lizards might want to go directly through the barrier to retrieve the food and need to inhibit that urge. We used a mesh cylinder to allow
to utilise food odour and visual information #AnimBehav2021
5. All species showed IC but blue-tongue lizards performed the best
Most non-cognitive factors we considered did not affect performance, but blue-tongue lizards showed the lowest body condition indicating motivation partly involved in differences across species
#AnimBehav2021
Most non-cognitive factors we considered did not affect performance, but blue-tongue lizards showed the lowest body condition indicating motivation partly involved in differences across species
#AnimBehav2021
6. TAKE HOME - We confirmed IC in showing that IC is widespread across taxa
IC is basic to planning & self-regulation, important for life success in humans
Their diversity makes reptiles great models to better understand the evolution of cognition more broadly
#AnimBehav2021
showing that IC is widespread across taxaIC is basic to planning & self-regulation, important for life success in humans
Their diversity makes reptiles great models to better understand the evolution of cognition more broadly
#AnimBehav2021
