Memory of aversive classical conditioning in pigeons induced by the observation of the conditioning training in a model

• Grant number: 12/16813-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Physiological Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Elenice Aparecida de Moraes Ferrari
• Grantee: Andressa Pelaquim
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Studies in rodents and primates have shown that fear learning occurs by experiencing aversive contingencies or by observation other organism behavior. The objective of the present study is to analyze the acquisition of the fear conditioned response by pigeons exposed to the observation of one model submitted to a training session with tone-shock classical conditioning. Adult male pigeons will be assigned to: Group Model (n = 8), without access to the observation of the model, trained and tested in the context and to the sound; Conditioning Group (n = 8), with access to the observation of the model training, and tested in the context and to the sound; Habituation Group (n = 6), with access to the observation of the model during habituation and testing in the experimental chamber with no stimulation; Observation and Social Interaction Group (n = 6), with access to the observation of the model during training, followed by social interaction with the model after training and tested in the context and to the sound. During the session of observation, each bird will be paired with a pigeon model subjected to the training in tone- shock classical conditioning (03 sound-shock pairings at 5 min, 10 min and 15 min, 20 min duration session). After 24 hours the test to the context will be conducted in the same context of the conditioning without stimulus presentation. The test to the sound will be conducted in a different chamber (10 min duration, 03 sound stimuli for 3 min, 6 min and 9 min). The sessions will be recorded with a digital system for later transcription and analysis of behaviors (exploration, risk assessment, vigilance, discrete movements, rest and freezing). The behavioral data will be analyzed with ANOVA and the Tukey-Kramer test for post hoc comparisons. (AU)