Psychology of Learning
A New Approach to Study Behavior of Rhodnius Prolixus Stal under Laboratory Conditions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13660318 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Charles I Abramson (0000-0001-8961-3089, Oklahoma State University, corresponding author), Joseph Frasca (0000-0001-6889-2162, Oklahoma State University), Ryan Fehr (0000-0002-0976-7967, Oklahoma State University), Enrique Sulbaran Romero (Universidad de Los Andes Merida, Venezuela), Eliécer Lizano (Universidad de Los Andes Merida, Venezuela), Elis Aldana (Universidad de Los Andes Merida, Venezuela) |
| Year | 2005 |
| Volume | 97 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 721-731 |
| Publication date | 2005-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Psychological Reports (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0033-2941 • E-ISSN: 1558-691X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2466/pr0.97.3.721-731 |
| PMID | 16512287 |
| OpenAlex | W2096798360 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 17 |
Conditioning methodologies associated with the psychology of learning are suggested as a new strategy to investigate behavior of the assassin bug Rhodnius prolixus, which is the main vector of Chagas disease in Venezuela. Chagas disease is the fourth leading cause of death in Latin America, as it causes severe chronic illness and approximately 43,000 deaths per year. To illustrate this strategy, two preliminary experiments are reported. In the first, Pavlovian conditioning was examined by pairing an olfactory conditioned stimulus with a temperature unconditioned stimulus. A temperature of 42 degrees C elicits a complex behavioral sequence in R. prolixus consisting of proboscis extension and crawling. Over the course of 12 training trials, this behavioral sequence was not elicited by an olfactory conditioned stimulus. In the second experiment, a latent inhibition paradigm was used to pre-expose R. prolixus to an olfactory conditioned stimulus before pairing the odor with temperature. Over the course of training, an effect of pre-exposure was found. Suggestions for research are discussed and potential conditioned and unconditioned stimuli identified
Associative learning · Biology · Classical conditioning · Cognitive psychology · Conditioning · Developmental psychology · Insect · Odor · Olfaction · Rhodnius prolixus · Stimulus (psychology · Unconditioned stimulus · Ecology · Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research · Neuroscience · Psychology
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |