Animal Stress Behaviour

Question 1

What changes in behaviour/ cognition due to stress?

Answer 1

• upregulated behavioural output
• behavioural depression

Question 2

What are the problems with using stereotypy as a marker for poor welfare?

Answer 2

• marker for historic not current stress
• may be protecting the animal from stress
• non-stereotypic-behaviour animals may therefore may be more stressed

Question 3

How is animal depression measured?

Answer 3

• inactivity
• anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure)
• cognitive changes

Question 4

What are the cognitive probes of depression?

Answer 4

• Delayed-to-sample
• Paired associates learning
  Assess simultaneous visual matching ability and short-term recognition memory.

Question 5

What are the changes in behaviour/ cognition due to stress?

Answer 5

• perception altered by emotional process
• cognition is altered by emotional process
• positive and negative can equate to states of optimism and pessimism about event outcomes