Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

197
Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
197
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

1.3K
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
1.3K
Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

1.8K
Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations,...
1.8K
Introduction to Learning01:18

Introduction to Learning

1.6K
Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge or skills through practice or experience, leading to long-lasting behavioral changes. This acquisition occurs through interaction with the environment and requires practice or experience. For instance, mastering a skill such as surfing requires considerable practice and experience, highlighting the essential role of repeated interactions with the environment in learning.
In contrast to learned behaviors, unlearned behaviors such as crying, sexual...
1.6K
Observational Learning01:12

Observational Learning

1.5K
Albert Bandura's observational learning, also known as imitation or modeling, occurs when a person observes and imitates another's behavior. It is a quicker process than operant conditioning. A well-known example is the Bobo doll study, where children who saw an adult acting aggressively towards the doll were more likely to act aggressively when left alone, compared to those who observed a nonaggressive adult. Many psychologists view observational learning as a form of latent learning...
1.5K
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

107.1K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
107.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Learning in the honey bee waggle dance.

Learning & behavior·2023
Same author

Resource Availability Affects Seasonal Trajectories of Population-Level Learning.

The American naturalist·2022
Same author

Spectral sensitivities of the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma.

Journal of insect physiology·2022
Same author

Memory and the value of social information in foraging bumble bees.

Learning & behavior·2022
Same author

Bumble bees exhibit body size clines across an urban gradient despite low genetic differentiation.

Scientific reports·2022
Same author

Equivalent learning, but unequal participation: Male bumble bees learn comparably to females, but participate in cognitive assessments at lower rates.

Behavioural processes·2021
Same journal

Chemotactic self-organization captures the dynamics of mammalian hair follicle patterning.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Tomographic imaging of superconducting order using particle-hole interference.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Inhibitory potential of autologous neutralizing antibodies sets quantitative limits on the rebound-competent HIV-1 reservoir.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Inferring epidemiological parameters under an infectious phylogeography model with visitor dynamics.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Analytical modeling for suction cup designs for skin-interfaced wearable devices.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Improving cell-free metabolism through direct integration of artificial respiratory chains.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

13.2K

Experimental evolution of prepared learning.

Aimee S Dunlap1, David W Stephens2

  • 1Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108; andDepartment of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121 aimee.dunlap@umsl.edu.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|July 30, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Evolution shapes animal learning, favoring easier acquisition of reliable stimulus-consequence associations. Fruit flies evolved distinct learning abilities based on the statistical reliability of past experiences, demonstrating prepared learning.

More Related Videos

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning
11:20

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Published on: June 2, 2014

11.4K
Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

21.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

13.2K
Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning
11:20

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Published on: June 2, 2014

11.4K
Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

21.5K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Animal behavior
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Animals exhibit 'prepared learning,' acquiring some associations more readily than others.
  • This phenomenon is often attributed to the evolutionary history of stimulus-consequence relationships within a species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To formalize the hypothesis that statistical reliability of associations drives prepared learning.
  • To experimentally test the evolution of prepared learning in Drosophila.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a model where statistical reliability of stimulus-action-consequence is the key variable.
  • Utilized experimental evolution over 40 generations in Drosophila populations.
  • Systematically manipulated the reliability of quinine-color and quinine-odor pairings.

Main Results:

  • Learning abilities evolved to track the reliability of associations experienced by populations.
  • Populations evolved increased sensitivity to reliable quinine-odor pairings and reduced sensitivity to unreliable quinine-color pairings.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first experimental demonstration of the evolution of prepared learning.
  • The findings support the hypothesis that evolutionary history, specifically the statistical reliability of associations, shapes learning predispositions.