TY  - JOUR
A1  - Mazza, Valeria
A1  - Dammhahn, Melanie
A1  - Eccard, Jana
A1  - Palme, Rupert
A1  - Zaccaroni, Marco
A1  - Jacob, Jens
T1  - Coping with style: individual differences in responses to environmental variation
JF  - Behavioral ecology and sociobiology
N2  - Between-individual differences in coping with stress encompass neurophysiological, cognitive and behavioural reactions. The coping style model proposes two alternative response patterns to challenges that integrate these types of reactions. The “proactive strategy” combines a general fight-or-flight response and inflexibility in learning with a relatively low HPA (hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal) response. The “reactive strategy” includes risk aversion, flexibility in learning and an enhanced HPA response. Although numerous studies have investigated the possible covariance of cognitive, behavioural and physiological responses, findings are still mixed. In the present study, we tested the predictions of the coping style model in an unselected population of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) (N = 70). We measured the voles’ boldness, activity, speed and flexibility in learning and faecal corticosterone metabolite levels under three conditions (holding in indoor cages, in outdoor enclosures and during open field test). Individuals were moderately consistent in their HPA response across situations. Proactive voles had significantly lower corticosterone levels than reactive conspecifics in indoor and outdoor conditions. However, we could not find any co-variation between cognitive and behavioural traits and corticosterone levels in the open field test. Our results partially support the original coping style model but suggest a more complex relationship between cognitive, behavioural and endocrine responses than was initially proposed.
KW  - Coping styles
KW  - Faecal glucocorticoid metabolites
KW  - Learning
KW  - Stress
KW  - Personality
KW  - Rodent
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-019-2760-2
SN  - 0340-5443
SN  - 1432-0762
VL  - 73
IS  - 10
PB  - Springer
CY  - New York
ER  -