The behavior of ants in a maze in response to a change from food motivation to protective motivation.
The ability of Myrmica rubra scout ants to modify the foraging habit, formed in a symmetrical multiple-choice maze, in the situation in which the reinforcement (syrup) was replaced with a brood of the same species was studied. When the "test" was performed at the same high level of food motivation of the family as applied during training, the ants were able successfully to transfer to another type of social behavior - transporting of the brood. When the high-level food motivation was replaced with a low-level motivation, some of the ants were unable to modify the habit. Preliminary utilization in these conditions of reinforcement as a switching factor addressing the motivational system for protective behavior promoted successful performance of the "test." Criteria allowing identification of different methods of modifying behavior during the switch from food motivation to protective motivation were developed. A total of 37.5% of the ants transferred the strategy formed during training: 40.6% showed gradual remodeling. while 21.9% of individuals immediately used the new strategy.
Karas
A Y
AY
Department of Higher Nervous Activity, Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Udalova
G P
GP
D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000502:physiology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D005502:Food; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology