ABSTRACT
Learning is often defined as a relatively permanent change in behavior that is the result of some experience. For example, a field mouse may only pause when it hears the rustling of an approaching cat. However, if the mouse survives the attack, it is likely that on hearing the rustling a second time, it will engage in species-specific behaviors such as fleeing for the safety of its nest. Learning in the wild can occur in any number of circumstances and may affect foraging, maternal behavior, reproduction, and social behavior. In each of these, learning has obvious functional value. To scientists, the fact that mice learn in a variety of circumstances provides the opportunity to examine the behavioral, neurobiological, and genetic correlates of various types of learning.
