Categorical perception of mouse-pup ultrasounds in the temporal domain

doi:10.1016/S0003-3472(05)80101-0

Animal Behaviour

Volume 43, Issue 3, March 1992, Pages 409-416

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(05)80101-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

Mouse-pup ultrasounds emitted from outside the nest area are releasers of maternal pup searching and retrieving behaviour. House mouse, Mus domesticus, mothers were tested in a situation with two alternative choices for their unconditioned preference of 50 kHz tone bursts of various durations (models of mouse-pup ultrasounds). Categorical perception in the temporal domain was established by labelling and discrimination tests. Two categories occurred: one of non-preferred short-duration tones (25 ms and shorter) and the other of preferred long-duration tones (30 ms and longer) with a sharp boundary between 25 and 30 ms. Stimuli from the two categories were discriminated, however, only if they differed in duration by at least 20–25ms, which may be the threshold of duration discrimination. The discussion concentrates on the biological significance of categorical perception of communication sounds and possible mechanisms of boundary formation.

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Categorical perception of mouse-pup ultrasounds in the temporal domain

Abstract

Brain Res. Rev.

Anim. Behav.

Auditory time constants: a paradox?

Vocal response of the bullfrog to natural and synthetic mating calls

J. acoust. Soc. Am.

Perception of complex, species-specific vocalizations by birds and humans

Schallsignale der Hausmaus (Mus musculus)

Behaviour

Critical bands and filter characteristics in the ear of the house mouse (Mus musculus)

Biol. Cybernet.

Categorical perception of sound signals: facts and hypotheses from animal studies

Left hemisphere advantage in the mouse brain for recognizing ultrasonic communication calls

Nature, Lond.

Categorical perception of mouse-pup ultrasounds by lactating females

Naturwissenschaften

Ultrasound recognition in house mice: key-stimulus configuration and recognition mechanism

J. comp. Physiol.

Motivation and arousal influence sound-induced maternal pup-retrieving behavior in lactating house mice

Z. Tierpsychol.

Auditory midbrain responses parallel spectral integration phenomena

Science

Mating call recognition in the green treefrog (Hyla cinerea): the significance of some fine-temporal properties

J. exp. Biol.

Discrimination of intermediate sounds in a synthetic call continuum by female green treefrogs

Science

Untersuchungen zur akustischen Kommunikation zwischen Mäuse-mutter und Jungen (Mus musculus)

Sound communication between parents and offspring

Introduction: psychophysical and cognitive aspects of categorical perception: a critical overview