Hierarchical organization of rhesus macaque behavior.

Primatologists, psychologists and neuroscientists have long hypothesized that primate behavior is highly structured. However, delineating that structure has been impossible due to the difficulties of precision behavioral tracking. Here we analyzed a dataset consisting of continuous measures of the 3D position of two male rhesus macaques () performing three different tasks in a large unrestrained environment over several hours.

Measuring children's sustained selective attention and working memory: validity of new minimally linguistic tasks.

This study introduces visual tasks using nonlinguistic stimuli that measure sustained selective attention (SSA) and working memory (WM), two constructs foundational to learning and associated with developmental disorders in children. Using an argument-based approach to validation, we examine whether each task (a) measures distinct constructs, (b) shows internal consistency, (c) captures a range of performance, and (d) relates to development as indexed by age. Participants included 71 children, ages 4-10, of whom 12 had parental concern for language/learning.

Automated markerless pose estimation in freely moving macaques with OpenMonkeyStudio.

The rhesus macaque is an important model species in several branches of science, including neuroscience, psychology, ethology, and medicine. The utility of the macaque model would be greatly enhanced by the ability to precisely measure behavior in freely moving conditions. Existing approaches do not provide sufficient tracking.

Macaques are risk-averse in a freely moving foraging task.

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) appear to be robustly risk-seeking in computerized gambling tasks typically used for electrophysiology. This behavior distinguishes them from many other animals, which are risk-averse, albeit measured in more naturalistic contexts. We wondered whether macaques' risk preferences reflect their evolutionary history or derive from the less naturalistic elements of task design associated with the demands of physiological recording.

Cognitive Science: Persistent Apes Are Intelligent Apes.

In humans, self-control is correlated with general intelligence; a new study finds that this correlation extends to chimpanzees as well. The new results highlight the cognitive bases of self-control and suggest a common evolutionary history for human and primate self-control.

Control without Controllers: Toward a Distributed Neuroscience of Executive Control.

Executive control refers to the regulation of cognition and behavior by mental processes and is a hallmark of higher cognition. Most approaches to understanding its mechanisms begin with the assumption that our brains have anatomically segregated and functionally specialized control modules. The modular approach is intuitive: Control is conceptually distinct from basic mental processing, so an organization that reifies that distinction makes sense.

Of fish and mirrors: Fluoxetine disrupts aggression and learning for social rewards.

Aggressive signaling is a key social behavior of male Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens). Successfully establishing a territory and defending it from intruders has direct fitness effects, making Betta splendens a prime model for studies examining the biological underpinnings of aggressive behavior. Current research has outlined serotonin transporter pathways as one key component for the engagement and coordination of aggressive behavior in Betta splendens.

Behavioral effects of fluoxetine on aggression and associative learning in Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens).

Past research has implicated serotonin as an important neurotransmitter in the facilitation of aggressive behavior. In Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), the SSRI fluoxetine has been demonstrated to reduce both frequency and duration of aggressive displays across a variety of concentration exposure procedures. While this multi-method approach has provided strong evidence for fluoxetine's impact on aggression, no study has sought to examine the behavioral mechanism by which fluoxetine exerts its anti-aggressive effect.