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4 - Experimental Evolution and Mechanisms for Prepared Learning

from Part I - Evolution of Learning Processes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2022

By
Aimee S. Dunlap  and
Andreia F. Dexheimer
Edited by
Mark A. Krause ,
Karen L. Hollis  and
Mauricio R. Papini
Mark A. Krause
Affiliation:
Southern Oregon University
Karen L. Hollis
Affiliation:
Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts
Mauricio R. Papini
Affiliation:
Texas Christian University
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Summary

Decades of research contend with the notion that animals come prepared by evolution to learn about some stimuli and responses better than others. Biological preparedness – and contrapreparedness – can influence how potential information is acquired, processed, and used in decision-making. Theory predicts that preparedness is the result of patterns of reliability of stimuli in predicting reward across the evolutionary history of the lineage. The evolution of preparedness can be tested experimentally, and also by considering the natural history and the pattern of reliability of stimuli and rewards for a given species. We present predictions as well as explanations for how evolution can prepare animals to make choices about their environment. Why animals learn some things better than others is at the heart of what makes behavior adaptive and by working from relatively simple theory it is possible to directly test these hypotheses and analyze traits both underlying and evolving with prepared learning.

Keywords

preparednessevolution of learninglearningnatural historyexperimental evolutionenvironmental reliabilityanimal learningbiological constraintsadaptive value
Type
Chapter
Information
Evolution of Learning and Memory Mechanisms , pp. 71 - 88
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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