Uploaded 2022/4/22
Authors
Sinead English, Antoine MG Barreaux
Publication date
2020/12/1
Source
Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences
Volume
36
Pages
71-78
Publisher
Elsevier
Description
Highlights
- Recent theory sheds light on why sensitive periods exist.
- Model predictions are challenging to test, requiring complex experimental designs.
- Insects are ideal study systems to test the theories on sensitive period evolution.
- Existing insect studies offer insight on sensitive periods and potential mechanisms.
- Insects impact human health and well-being, emphasizing relevance of model insights.
Recent models have identified evolutionary explanations for sensitive periods, when individuals are more responsive to experiences at certain stages of development, based on benefits and costs of attending to environmental cues. Empirical tests of these models face challenges, requiring complex, long-term experiments, and detailed understanding of physiology and ecology. Insect systems offer the opportunity to overcome these challenges, given their tractability, diversity and well-studied mechanisms. These studies …
Scholar articles
S English, AMG Barreaux - Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 2020