Spring Break
Study shows rats smarter than perceived
Tests show rodents aware of inner processes
PEARMAN PARKER
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Students may need to think twice before setting their next mouse trap.
A new study suggests laboratory rats have the knowledge to choose if cheese is worth the risk.
"The study suggests knowledge that animals behave as if they are aware of their internal states," Jonathon Crystal, an associate professor of psychology, said.
Crystal, who spearheaded the research, studied the metacognition of lab rats, the first of its kind among non-primates.
"The idea of metacognition involves you having the knowledge of your internal state," Crystal said.
He measured the rats' awareness of their mental processes through a series of tests of their time perception of noise.
With two or eight-second "noises," the rats pressed a lever to relay the length of the sound.
A right answer led to a reward of six pellets of food.
A wrong answer lead to no pellets.
But the revealing parts of the study developed when the rats had the option to take the tests.
The rats could poke their nose through two holes in the glass - one to take the test and one to opt out.
If the rats chose to opt out, they were automatically rewarded with one pellet.
The results were interesting.
Crystal explained many rats chose not to take either test to insure a small reward, instead of risking the chance of not getting the six reward pellets.
"The study suggests knowledge that animals are aware of their internal states," he said.
But the results aren't without controversy.
"An idea that animals behave as if they have a conscious experience is quite controversial," Crystal said, adding many people may have a hard time thinking mammals have similar internal processes to humans.
"There are implications to the findings," said Allison Foote, a graduate student in psychology and assistant to Crystal's research.
But Dorothy Fragaszy, a professor in psychology, sees it more as a challenge to people's beliefs.
"It's an innovative contribution because it causes us to think things a different way about something
we thought we knew," she said.
"The more we develop effective ways of testing for metacognition processes in non-primate species, the more we'll find," Fragaszy said.
She said she is excited to see the results of future research.
"Jon's on a roll, and I think we'll see more things like this."
A new study suggests laboratory rats have the knowledge to choose if cheese is worth the risk.
"The study suggests knowledge that animals behave as if they are aware of their internal states," Jonathon Crystal, an associate professor of psychology, said.
Crystal, who spearheaded the research, studied the metacognition of lab rats, the first of its kind among non-primates.
"The idea of metacognition involves you having the knowledge of your internal state," Crystal said.
He measured the rats' awareness of their mental processes through a series of tests of their time perception of noise.
With two or eight-second "noises," the rats pressed a lever to relay the length of the sound.
A right answer led to a reward of six pellets of food.
A wrong answer lead to no pellets.
But the revealing parts of the study developed when the rats had the option to take the tests.
The rats could poke their nose through two holes in the glass - one to take the test and one to opt out.
If the rats chose to opt out, they were automatically rewarded with one pellet.
The results were interesting.
Crystal explained many rats chose not to take either test to insure a small reward, instead of risking the chance of not getting the six reward pellets.
"The study suggests knowledge that animals are aware of their internal states," he said.
But the results aren't without controversy.
"An idea that animals behave as if they have a conscious experience is quite controversial," Crystal said, adding many people may have a hard time thinking mammals have similar internal processes to humans.
"There are implications to the findings," said Allison Foote, a graduate student in psychology and assistant to Crystal's research.
But Dorothy Fragaszy, a professor in psychology, sees it more as a challenge to people's beliefs.
"It's an innovative contribution because it causes us to think things a different way about something
we thought we knew," she said.
"The more we develop effective ways of testing for metacognition processes in non-primate species, the more we'll find," Fragaszy said.
She said she is excited to see the results of future research.
"Jon's on a roll, and I think we'll see more things like this."
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