Midsession reversal learning performance in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

Area of Science:

• Animal Cognition
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Marine Mammal Studies

Background:

• Reversal learning (RL) investigates cognitive flexibility and decision-making under changing contingencies.
• Midsession reversal learning (MRL) tasks assess adaptation midway through a session.
• Strategies like win-stay/lose-shift (WS/LS) or using temporal cues aid MRL task solving.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how individual learning strategies and temporal information influence decision-making and cognitive flexibility in harbour seals.
• To explore differences in strategy use between seals with varying experimental histories.
• To determine if temporal cues impact behavioral adjustments in harbour seals.

Main Methods:

• A spatial midsession reversal learning (MRL) experiment was conducted with two harbour seals.
• Individual learning strategies and responses to reward contingency changes were observed.
• Behavioral data was analyzed to identify patterns related to experience and temporal cues.

Main Results:

• One seal (Moe), with prior RL experience, employed a win-stay/lose-shift (WS/LS) strategy.
• A naive seal (Bill) exhibited anticipatory and perseverative errors near the reversal point, suggesting temporal information use.
• Individual variations in strategy were evident, linked to prior experimental exposure.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive flexibility in harbour seals is influenced by learning strategies and potentially temporal information.
• Prior experience shapes the adoption of specific learning strategies.
• Temporal cues may play a role in guiding behavioral adjustments in seals, with implications for natural behaviors like foraging and navigation.