Beyond criterion: cognitive flexibility in wild striated caracaras

Area of Science:

• Animal behavior
• Cognitive science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Cognitive flexibility is crucial for adapting to environmental changes.
• Reversal learning tasks assess cognitive flexibility by requiring updates to learned associations.
• Trials-to-criterion (TTC) is a common but potentially flawed metric for learning performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the limitations of Trials-to-criterion (TTC) in assessing learning.
• To demonstrate the utility of learning curve analysis for a more nuanced understanding of learning dynamics.
• To compare TTC with trial-level modeling in a wild animal population.

Main Methods:

• A two-choice discrimination and reversal learning task was administered to wild striated caracaras (Phalcoboenus australis).
• Performance was assessed using both traditional Trials-to-criterion (TTC) and detailed trial-level modeling (learning curves).
• Individual learning trajectories were analyzed for consistency and stability.

Main Results:

• While the group demonstrated overall learning, individual performance varied significantly.
• Trials-to-criterion (TTC) inaccurately classified learners, producing both false positives and false negatives.
• Learning curve analysis effectively captured individual learning trajectories, stability, and consistency of change, outperforming TTC.

Conclusions:

• Reliance on binary thresholds like TTC can obscure true learning dynamics.
• Learning curve analysis provides a more accurate and ecologically valid method for assessing cognitive flexibility and learning in wild animals.
• This approach offers a more nuanced framework for understanding individual differences in learning and adaptation.