Bird Song: Perception, Learning and Function
{'Code': '08090200', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'IOS', 'LongName': 'Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'John A. Byers', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
Dr. Beecher's research examines bird song as a model                            communication system.  Bird song is of considerable general                     scientific interest because it has proved to be the single best                 model system, involving a naturally-occurring complex behavior,                 for the study of learning and for the study of brain-behavior                   relationships.  In addition, there are many surprising parallels                between bird song and human language, including developmental and               neurological similarities.                                                                                                                                      Dr. Beecher's approach is unique in considering the song                        communication system from a perceptual point of view.  Previous                 research has focussed on the signals, and has generally ignored                 the transformations performed on these signals by the animal's                  sensory-perceptual system.  Methods have been developed in recent               years that allow researchers to characterize the perceptual                     dimensions of a set of stimuli for an animal by training it to                  indicate the perceived similarity between a pair of stimuli for                 all possible pairs in the set.  Dr. Beecher will use these and                  related methods to map the perceptual dimensions of the song                    system of the song sparrow, a species with a particularly complex               and varied song.                                                                                                                                                To examine the role of experience in the development of normal                  song, Dr. Beecher will compare birds raised with and birds raised               without hearing normal species song.  The latter birds sing                     abnormal song as adults, and Dr. Beecher expects to show that                   their song perception is abnormal as well.  He will also examine                song perception as it relates to the use of song in natural                     contexts, such as in the recognition of neighbors.  He is                       particularly interested in song perception by females, since                    virtually nothing is known about song learning in females as they               do not sing as adults.                                                                                                                                          Dr. Beecher's general goal is to advance our understanding and                  increase the utility of this model system by providing                          information on the heretofore neglected perceptual side of song                 learning.
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{'Name': 'University of Washington', 'CityName': 'SEATTLE', 'ZipCode': '981951016', 'PhoneNumber': '2065434043', 'StreetAddress': '4333 BROOKLYN AVE NE', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Washington', 'StateCode': 'WA', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '07', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'WA07', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'HD1WMN6945W6', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
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{'Code': '1160', 'Text': 'IBN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR'}
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