[BERG] BERG/SHAIR seminar this Wednesday, 16:00

Dear All, This Wednesday (4pm) we have a seminar led by Janie Fink (University of St Andrews/Macquarie University) entitled "Comparative Delayed Match-to-Sample: Exploring Arbitrary and Causal Cues in Capuchin, Squirrel Monkeys, and Children" - abstract below. The meeting will be held in person/hybrid in the Psychology Common Room. To those joining online: please find a link to the meeting below. Abstract Short-term memory (STM) is vital for everyday activities of primates from navigating environments to resourcing food. While all primates utilize STM, there can be a wide range of limitations and capabilities. This study takes a comparative approach to understanding STM across three primate species: tufted capuchins (n=25, Sapajus apella), squirrel monkeys (n=13, Saimiri sciureus), and children (n=69, ages 2-4 years, Homo sapiens). The study also empirically challenges decisions regarding the methodological procedure for Delayed Match-to-Sample task through the manipulation of arbitrary verse casual cues. Participants are presented with a target object and then required to select the match from an array. There are two cue conditions: a causal cue, where half of the participants watch a reward be placed inside of the target, and an arbitrary cue, where the remainder watch a reward be presented by the target. Monkeys participated in 100 trials over several weeks, while children participated in 12 trials during a visit to the zoo. A generalized linear mixed effects model will be used to evaluate how duration, age, condition, preference bias, learning curve, and individual difference impact STM. We hypothesize that the casual cue will lead to better memory performance, due to object permanence and the ecological validity of the condition, compared to the arbitrary cue. Taking a comparative approach to this study will provide a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of primate memory and their range of abilities. Lastly, the study aims to provide empirical evidence for methodological choices in experimental designs. Link to the meeting: BERG research seminars | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2F… Best wishes, Pawel ------------------------------- Dr Pawel Fedurek (he/his) Lecturer in Psychology Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (BERG) School of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling, FK9 4LA Scotland, UK @pawel-fedurek<https://bsky.app/profile/pawel-fedurek.bsky.social> @berg-stirling<https://bsky.app/profile/berg-stirling.bsky.social> Staff webpage<https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/1080868> | BERG webpage<https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/natural-sciences/our-research/research-groups/behaviour-and-evolution-research-group/> I aim to reply within 3 working days (my working days are between Monday and Friday). ________________________________ Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159