Observational learning in C57BL/6j mice

The ability of mice to solve a complex task by observational learning was investigated with C57BL/6j mice. Four female demonstrators were trained to reliably perform a sequence that consisted in pushing a piece of food into a tube attached to the side of a puzzle box, and recovering it by opening a drawer in front of the box. They then performed this sequence in front of naive mice assigned to individual cubicles in a box with a wire mesh front arranged in a row facing the demonstrators. A total of 25 naive mice (13 males and 12 females) were used. Fifteen mice observed 14 demonstrations a day for 5 days; 10 control mice were placed in similar cubicles, but behind a plastic screen which prevented them from observing the demonstrators. The mice were post-tested in the demonstrator situation, and 6 of 15 observers immediately reproduced the complete task successfully, but none of the naive or control mice were able to solve the task. The observers and controls were then subjected to a five level individual learning schedule. Observers learned the individual task significantly faster than the controls. No sex difference was found. These results suggest that observational learning processes at work were based on stimulus enhancement and observational conditioning.