Socially mediated learning in male Betta splendens..

Showed, in 7 experiments, that in the absence of social stimulation male Siamese fighting fish would approach any of several visual and spatial cues that had previously been paired with the Ss' mirror images. Findings demonstrate that learned modifications of swimming mediated by social stimuli are possible in Bettas. Results suggest that Ss learned to exhibit conditioned gill-cover erection as part of a pattern of locomotion that could effectively maintain territories. Nearly all Ss learned to swim in proximity to visual and spatial cues previously presented with conspecific images. Results also suggest that territorial defense in some teleosts may be mediated by the association of social cues with visual and spatial stimuli. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)