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

Instinctive Drift01:05

Instinctive Drift

482
Instinctive drift refers to the tendency of animals to revert to their innate behaviors despite repeated reinforcement. Breland and Breland demonstrated this concept in an experiment with a raccoon. The raccoon was trained to pick up two coins and place them in a container in exchange for food. Initially, the raccoon learned to associate the coins with food, making them a conditioned stimulus or a substitute for food. However, over time, the raccoon became less willing to put the coins into the...
482
Predator-Prey Interactions02:39

Predator-Prey Interactions

20.3K
Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.
20.3K
Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction01:24

Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction

1.1K
Generalization, discrimination, and extinction are key concepts in operant conditioning that influence how behaviors are learned and maintained.
Generalization occurs when a behavior reinforced in one context is performed in similar situations. For instance, a student who studies diligently for calculus and receives excellent grades might apply the same study habits to psychology and history, expecting similar results. Generalization shows how learning in one setting can influence behavior in...
1.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Interacting effects of human presence and landscape modification on birds and mammals.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

More smarts, more song: male chickadees with better spatial learning and memory abilities sing more throughout the day.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2026
Same author

Large-scale experimental assessment of coyote behavior across urban and rural landscapes.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Wild canids and felids differ in their reliance on reused travel routeways.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Intrinsic and environmental drivers of pairwise cohesion in wild Canis social groups.

Ecology·2024
Same author

Spatial cognitive ability is associated with longevity in food-caching chickadees.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 29, 2025

The Three-Chamber Choice Behavioral Task using Zebrafish as a Model System
07:55

The Three-Chamber Choice Behavioral Task using Zebrafish as a Model System

Published on: April 14, 2021

4.2K

Variation in reversal learning by three generalist mesocarnivores.

Lauren A Stanton1,2, Eli S Bridge3, Joost Huizinga4

  • 1Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA. laurenashleystanton@gmail.com.

Animal Cognition
|November 24, 2020
PubMed
Summary

This study explored cognitive flexibility in urban wildlife, finding that while most generalist species adapt, coyotes showed more neophobia. Understanding these cognitive differences is key to urban adaptation in wildlife.

Keywords:
Behavioral adaptationCarnivoreComparative cognitionFlexibilityGeneralismUrbanization

More Related Videos

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents
09:01

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

Published on: July 8, 2015

12.9K
Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles
08:44

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles

Published on: January 3, 2017

7.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 29, 2025

The Three-Chamber Choice Behavioral Task using Zebrafish as a Model System
07:55

The Three-Chamber Choice Behavioral Task using Zebrafish as a Model System

Published on: April 14, 2021

4.2K
The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents
09:01

The Double-H Maze: A Robust Behavioral Test for Learning and Memory in Rodents

Published on: July 8, 2015

12.9K
Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles
08:44

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles

Published on: January 3, 2017

7.8K

Area of Science:

  • Urban ecology
  • Animal behavior
  • Cognitive science

Background:

  • Urbanization presents challenges and opportunities for wildlife.
  • Generalist species thrive in urban environments, but the cognitive underpinnings of their success are understudied.
  • Cognitive flexibility is hypothesized to enhance adaptability to diverse environments, including urban ones.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cognitive flexibility in three common urban mesocarnivores: striped skunks, raccoons, and coyotes.
  • To assess the role of cognitive flexibility in the adaptation of generalist species to urban habitats.
  • To explore interspecific variation in cognitive performance among urban wildlife.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a classic reversal-learning paradigm to measure cognitive flexibility.
  • Developed an automated device for captive testing, minimizing training and experimenter interaction.
  • Assessed striped skunks, raccoons, and coyotes using a standardized protocol.

Main Results:

  • Most subjects demonstrated the ability to form and reverse learned associations.
  • Moderate variation in performance and behavior was observed across individuals and species.
  • Coyotes exhibited notable neophobia and a lack of habituation compared to other species.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive flexibility varies among generalist urban mesocarnivores, potentially influencing their adaptation strategies.
  • Differences in neophobia and habituation may play a role in species-specific urban success.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the links between cognition, generalism, and urban adaptation.