Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Annette Bennett Rose Hills

Hormonal Response to Zebra Finch Song

My study will test the direct effect of song exposure on circulating hormones that promote prosocial behavioral states. I will use an operant conditioning paradigm that allows birds to self-stimulate with auditory playbacks to uncover whether or not both females and males choose to listen to songs when housed in isolation. Observed changes to levels of estradiol, testosterone, and vasopressin will allow for the speculation on the role of song for social cohesion and the ethological relevance of song. Evidence of this would allow for the further study of social cohesion and the role that specific vocalizations play, specifically in groups with different social organizations.

Message To Sponsor

Thank you for your support of my research project. Your contribution has made it possible for me to study and explore my passions, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do so.