Innovative Behaviors and Synchronization in Bottlenosed Dolphins
- Braslau-Schneck, S.
University of Hawaii, Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Lboratory, 1129
Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI, USA, 96814
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- (C) 1994 University of Hawaii
The ability of dolphins to innovate behaviors and to perform synchronized
behaviors was studies with two pairs of dolphins. In Experiment
1 the first pair was tested individually with the sign “CREATIVE,”
which requires the animal to produce a variety of responses to
the single cue. Although no responses were reinforced both were
able to perform a variety of responses. They were then tested
with the sequence “TANDEM CREATIVE,” which requires
the pair to produce a variety of behaviors synchrony. Without
reinforcement the response quickly extinguished. Reinforcement
of synchronized behaviors in response to the TANDEM CREATIVE sequence
in a further flexibly-scheduled test allowed the pair to produce
79 different synchronous behaviors, In Experiment 2 a second pair
of dolphins was tested with reinforcement for responses to CREATIVE
and TANDEM CREATIVE. The second pair produced little variety with
reinforcement, until conditions were changed to resemble the unstructured
training conditions, after which they produced 41 different tandem
responses. Theories of how dolphins might coordinate their movements
and why they might have evolved the ability for synchronization
are explored.
Braslau-Schneck, S. (1994). Innovative Behaviors and Synchronization
in Bottlenosed Dolphins. Unpublished master's thesis, University
of Hawaii, Honolulu.
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