Research Online at MacEwan :: Browsing by Author "Moscicki, Michele"

Browsing by Author "Moscicki, Michele"

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A comparison of student achievement across pedagogical modalities
(2023) Bown, Erica; Moscicki, Michele
Recent research provides evidence that students’ active participation in course activities creates stronger connections and enables deeper levels of information processing and learning compared to passive teaching and learning methods (Nurbavliyev et al., 2022). The present study investigated the relationship between active and passive learning across different pedagogical modalities and its effect on academic performance. We hypothesized that students in the active learning group would perform better academically than students in the passive learning group. Participants were students enrolled in hybrid or in-person PSYC 105 courses at MacEwan University. Our sample size for our analyses related to academic performance included 24 participants, 14 from the active group and 10 from the passive group. Our sample size for our correlational analyses included 97 participants. Throughout the semester, participants in the active condition completed activities and participants in the passive condition heard a lecture. Academic performance was measured based on participants’ performance on eight standardized multiple-choice questions embedded into each class's midterm and final exams, and overall midterm and final exam grades. We also investigated if certain student characteristics moderate the effect of activities on retention. Participants filled out questionnaire items assessing personality, self-regulation, procrastination, and test anxiety. Our results showed that students in the active learning condition performed better than those in the passive learning condition. We also found a moderately positive relationship between procrastination and test anxiety, and neuroticism and test anxiety. These results illustrate the potential benefits of universities offering more opportunities for active learning on students’ academic performance.
A study of mindset: better understanding the structure of mindset and how growth mindset interventions are delivered
(2022) Kyler, Nathan; Moscicki, Michele
Mindsets (MS) (i.e., beliefs about the malleability of traits) exist in many diverse domains, such as intelligence, creativity, emotions, and anxiety. With such a diversity of mindset domains, it is reasonable to question whether a general underlying factor influences all mindsets similarly. For example, if one believes intelligence is malleable, does one also believe creativity, musical ability, and athletic ability are malleable? In study 1, we conducted factor analysis on nine self- report mindset measures to determine if a general mindset factor exists. The nine mindsets studied clustered into three underlying factors: 1) Skills (intelligence, creativity, musical and athletic ability); 2) Personality (personality and morality); and 3) Emotions (emotions and anxiety). Stress did not load onto any of the three factors. In addition, we investigated ways to improve the efficacy of growth mindset interventions. Though growth mindset interventions show positive outcomes, the effect sizes are generally small. Actively engaging in material by applying the information to one’s life, or teaching others, improves retention of that material over passively listening to the material being taught. In study 2, we sought to determine whether an active vs. passive growth mindset intervention is more effective for improving exam scores. We found no significant difference in exam score improvement between the control, active, or passive groups. It is possible that the active intervention was not engaging enough to alter one’s mindset beliefs in only one exposure. Targeting general mindset factors rather than individual mindset domains may improve intervention efficacy.
Absolute pitch in boreal chickadees and humans: exceptions that test a phylogenetic rule
(2010) Weisman, Ronald G.; Balkwill, Laura-Lee; Hoeschele, Marisa; Moscicki, Michele; Bloomfield, Laurie L.; Sturdy, Christopher B.
This research examined generality of the phylogenetic rule that birds discriminate frequency ranges more accurately than mammals. Human absolute pitch chroma possessors accurately tracked transitions between frequency ranges. Independent tests showed that they used note naming (pitch chroma) to remap the tones into ranges; neither possessors nor nonpossessors were accurate at octave (pitch height) naming. Boreal chickadees discriminated frequency ranges less accurately than other birds; they tracked reward across several lower frequency ranges but failed at frequencies over 4000 Hz. The results revealed the error of describing species differences solely in terms of their discrimination of frequency ranges. Exceptions to the rule disappear when the rule is restated in terms of underlying mechanism: birds are superior to mammals in the ability to use absolute pitch height perception to discriminate pitches and ranges of pitches.
An exploratory study on the relationship between earworms and stress
(2020) Tingley, Jessica; Moscicki, Michele
An earworm is defined as hearing music without currently listening to music. Research on earworms is limited; however, research on music in relation to stress and arousal is plentiful. Here we present two studies investigating earworms in relation to arousal. Much research suggests that music can help to reduce stress. On the other hand, one common phenomenon associated with stress is ruminative thoughts. We initially hypothesized that earworms may either be: (1) a form of ruminative thought and thus more likely to occur when an individual was stressed or (2) similar to music therapy, a stress reducing experience. To test this hypothesis, we had participants fill out a modified PANAS scale over the course of a semester during both earworm presence and earworm absence. We found that significantly more people reported lower anxiety during earworm presence and higher anxiety during earworm absence than people who reported the opposite. From these results, it was unclear whether people would be more likely to get an earworm when they were less stressed, or whether getting an earworm helped to reduce stress. Therefore, study two was developed to further probe the results from study one. In study two, we assessed arousal before and after an earworm induction procedure. A regression model found that the presence or absence of earworms and infrasound predicted arousal post-earworm induction. Our research adds to the body of literature regarding earworms and attempts to clarify whether earworms are a useful form of anxiety-reduction.
Behavioural responses of female round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) to putative steroidal pheromones
(2008) Corkum, L.D.; Meunier, B.; Moscicki, Michele; Zielinski, B.S; Scott, A.P.
Although reproductive (RF) and non-reproductive (NRF) female round goby are attracted to washings of conspecific reproductive males and RF, respectively, behavioural responses of females to synthesized steroids has not been studied. We tested attraction and avoidance of RF and NRF to different blends of steroids previously shown to be either produced by reproductive males and/or detectable at a concentration of at least $10^{ - 8} $ M by the olfactory epithelium of RF. Three blends of steroids were used, including: etiocholanolone (3α-hydroxy-5β-androstan-17-one), 11-oxo-etiocholanolone (3α-hydroxy-5β-androstane-11, 17-dione), androstenedione, 11ゲ-hydroxy-androstenedione, and 11-ketotestosterone('free' steroid blend); etiocholanolone glucuronide, etiocholanolone sulfate, 11-oxo-etiocholanolone glucuronide and 11-oxo-etiocholanolone sulfate ('conjugated' steroid blend); and all nine steroids together ('total' steroid blend). NRF were attracted to the free steroid blend and avoided the conjugated blend. RF did not reveal any significant bias to the steroid blends, but there was a tendency for RF to prefer conjugated steroids and avoid free steroids. Because there was no significant attraction by RF to particular blends of synthesized steroids tested, other compounds (sex attractants) not yet identified from the male round goby are likely responsible for initiating courtship and/or spawning behaviours in reproductive females.
Black-capped chickadees Poecile atricapillus sing at higher pitches with elevated anthropogenic noise, but not with decreasing canopy cover
(2012) Proppe, Darren S.; Avey, Marc T.; Hoeschele, Marisa; Moscicki, Michele; Farrell, Tara M.; St Clair, Colleen Cassady; Sturdy, Christopher B.
Several songbird species sing at higher frequencies (i.e. higher pitch) when anthropogenic noise levels are elevated. Such frequency shifting is thought to be an adaptation to prevent masking of bird song by anthropogenic noise. However, no study of this phenomenon has examined how vegetative differences between noisy and quiet sites influence frequency shifting. Variation in vegetative structure is important because the acoustic adaptation hypothesis predicts that birds in more open areas should also sing at higher frequencies. Thus, vegetative structure may partially explain the observation of higher frequency songs in areas with high levels of anthropogenic noise. To distinguish between frequency shifting due to noise or vegetative structure we recorded the songs of black-capped chickadees Poecile atricapillus vocalizing in high and low noise sites with open and closed canopy forests. Consistent with the noise-dependent frequency hypothesis, black-capped chickadees sang at higher frequencies in high noise sites than in low noise sites. In contrast, birds did not sing at higher frequencies in sites with more open canopies. These results suggest that frequency shifting in chickadees is more strongly related to ambient noise levels than to vegetative structure. A second frequency measure, inter-note ratio, was reduced at higher levels of canopy cover. We speculate that this may be due to a non-random distribution of dominant males. In sum, our results support the hypothesis that some birds sing at higher frequencies to avoid overlap with anthropogenic noise, but suggest that vegetative structure may play a role in the modification of other song traits.
Can biofeedback increase the use of stress interventions?
(2020) Nieminen, Ada; Moscicki, Michele
Undergraduate students struggle to incorporate stress coping strategies or self care routines into their lives that take time (e.g., yoga or exercise). However, there are many useful stress coping methods that do not require a significant time investment (e.g., deep breathing, cognitive reappraisal). These strategies can also be employed in the moment when students are facing an immediate stressor, like writing a final exam. Although these simple strategies exist, students often do not use them in the moment. It is unclear whether this lack of use is due to lack of knowledge , lack of belief that the strategy will be effective, or other factors. Our proposed study will examine these first two ideas. We will recruit participants into one of four groups: 1) deep breathing, 2) cognitive reappraisal, 3) deep breathing with biofeedback, 4) cognitive reappraisal with biofeedback. Physiological (i.e., heart rate variability) and psychological (i.e., perceived stress) measures will be assessed at baseline. Participants will then complete a stress-inducing mathematics task. Next, participants will be taught one of the two stress interventions. The stress task will then be repeated, and participants will be asked to use the intervention during the second stress task, either receiving heart rate variability biofeedback or not. Throughout the rest of the semester, participants will receive email prompts inquiring if they have used the learned intervention. We hypothesize that participants who receive biofeedback, and thus see that the intervention is effective, will use the intervention more often throughout the semester.
Can't stress this enough: can biofeedback increase the use of stress interventions?
(2021) Nieminen, Ada; Moscicki, Michele
Undergraduate students experience many stressors throughout their education. An abundance of stress coping methods exists to help students cope; however, many require a significant time investment (e.g., exercise, meditation). Some quick stress coping methods (e.g., deep breathing, cognitive reappraisal) are effective for coping with in-the-moment stressful situations, but students rarely use these coping methods. It is unclear whether this lack of use is due to lack of knowledge, lack of belief that the strategy is useful, or other factors. Our study examined the first two ideas by introducing deep breathing and cognitive reappraisal to the participants with and without biofeedback. We compared the effectiveness of a physiological technique (deep breathing) to a cognitive technique (cognitive reappraisal). Contrary to our hypotheses, coping strategy and biofeedback did not increase the use of either coping strategy throughout the semester; however, participants across all groups reported using deep breathing and cognitive reappraisal more in Part 2 than Part 1. Aligning with our hypothesis, deep breathing, and cognitive reappraisal as a stress coping strategies lead to similar changes in our biofeedback measure and seem to lead to better mental control over the participant’s stress reaction.
Can't stress this enough: can biofeedback increase the use of stress interventions?
(2021) Nieminen, Ada; Moscicki, Michele
Undergraduate students experience many stressors throughout their education. An abundance of stress coping methods exists to help students cope; however, many require a significant time investment (e.g., exercise, meditation). Some quick stress coping methods (e.g., deep breathing, cognitive reappraisal) are effective for coping with in-the-moment stressful situations, but students rarely use these coping methods. It is unclear whether this lack of use is due to lack of knowledge, lack of belief that the strategy is useful, or other factors. Our study examined the first two ideas by introducing deep breathing and cognitive reappraisal to the participants with and without biofeedback. We compared the effectiveness of a physiological technique (deep breathing) to a cognitive technique (cognitive reappraisal). Contrary to our hypotheses, coping strategy and biofeedback did not increase the use of either coping strategy throughout the semester; however, participants across all groups reported using deep breathing and cognitive reappraisal more in Part 2 than Part 1. Aligning with our hypothesis, deep breathing, and cognitive reappraisal as a stress coping strategies lead to similar changes in our biofeedback measure and seem to lead to better mental control over the participant’s stress reaction.
Damage-induced alarm cues influence lateralized behaviour but not the relationship between behavioural and habenular asymmetry in convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata)
(2017) Moscicki, Michele; Hurd, Peter L.
Cerebral lateralization, the partitioning of functions into a certain hemisphere of the brain, is ubiquitous among vertebrates. Evidence suggests that the cognitive processing of a stimulus is performed with a specific hemisphere depending in part upon the emotional valence of the stimulus (i.e. whether it is appetitive or aversive). Recent work has implicated a predominance of right-hemisphere processing for aversive stimuli. In fish with laterally placed eyes, the preference to view an object with a specific eye has been used as a proxy for assessing cerebral lateralization. The habenula, one of the most well-known examples of an asymmetrical neural structure, has been linked to behavioural asymmetry in some fish species. Here, we exposed convict cichlid fish (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) to both a social and non-social lateralization task and assessed behavioural lateralization in either the presence or absence of an aversive stimulus, damage-induced alarm cues. We also assessed whether behavioural asymmetry in these tests was related to asymmetry of the habenular nuclei. We found that when alarm cues were present, fish showed increased left-eye (and by proxy, right hemisphere) preference for stimulus viewing. In addition, females, but not males, showed stronger eye preferences when alarm cues were present. We did not find a relationship between behavioural lateralization and habenular lateralization. Our results conflict with previous reports of concordance between behavioural and habenular lateralization in this fish species. However, our results do provide support for the hypothesis of increased right-hemisphere use when an organism is exposed to aversive stimuli.
Does a growth mindset reduce procrastination and perfectionism?
(2023) Bown, Erica; Moscicki, Michele
Research has consistently found a positive relationship between fear of failure (FoF) and both perfectionism and procrastination, which are both positively correlated with stress. Many university students report high levels of perfectionism, procrastination, and stress; thus, interventions to help reduce these characteristics are needed. Individuals who have a growth mindset (GM) are more likely to view challenges and failures as opportunities to learn and grow rather than as obstacles. The present study investigated the effect of a GM intervention on procrastination and negative perfectionism. We hypothesized that students who received the GM intervention would report lower procrastination due to FoF and lower negative perfectionism than students who did not receive the GM intervention. In Part 1, all participants completed questionnaires assessing personality, stress, perfectionism, procrastination, and GM. Participants in the GM intervention group were shown a video and infographic about GM and its benefits and were sent reminder emails about the benefits of GM once a week for four weeks. After four weeks, participants completed all measures again. Our results show that the GM intervention failed to produce any significant changes in GM, negative perfectionism, and procrastination due to FoF. We further show positive relationships between stress and both procrastination due to FoF and negative perfectionism. Future research will investigate a more effective GM intervention. Our results confirm that university students’ stress is highly associated with negative perfectionism and procrastination due to FoF and that students may benefit from stress reduction methods that specifically target perfectionism and FoF.
Dominance signalled in an acoustic ornament
(2010) Hoeschele, Marisa; Moscicki, Michele; Otter, Ken A.; van Oort, Harry; Fort, Kevin T.; Farrell, Tara M.; Lee, Homan; Robson, Scott W. J.; Sturdy, Christopher B.
In many species, males use auditory signals to attract females and females select males based on their dominance status. Here we show that information on dominance status in male black-capped chickadees, Poecile atricapillus, a small, temperate, North American songbird, can be extracted from individual songs. We found that the relative amplitude of the two notes in the ‘fee bee’ song of this species was more consistent in dominant males. Furthermore, females responded differently to presentations of single song exemplars from males of different dominance status, with females vocalizing more and performing more motor behaviours during the presentation of dominant songs. Our study suggests that non-pitch-based cues within single vocalizations can both reliably indicate relative rank and be discriminated by females.
How do strengths-based schooling and caregiver stress impact student engagement?
(2020) Jelly, Kathryn; Moscicki, Michele
The term twice-exceptional (2E) refers to individuals who are both gifted and face some type of learning challenge. 2E students often face unique social-emotional challenges that may result in lower levels of school engagement. Previous literature suggests a high level of engagement prevents dropping-out, leads to better grades, is related to lower rates of depression, and can be a protective factor against suicidal behaviors. Research suggests that a collaborative, strengths-based school approach is most effective for improving outcomes of 2E students. In this approach school material is presented in a way that aligns with students’ talents and interests, and decisions about the students’ education involve the student, their family, and any relevant professionals. Strong parent-school relationships may mediate levels of parental stress, which has been shown to impact student engagement. Because of the benefits associated with higher school engagement, we will explore whether this approach is also beneficial for typically-developing students. With this study, we aim to determine the relationship(s) between student engagement, task-strength alignment, and caregiver stress by recruiting 2E students, typical students, and their caregivers. Students’ strengths will be assessed and compared to tasks planned by their teachers. We will then observe their level of engagement during these tasks. Survey data on caregiver stress will be collected at various points in the study. We hypothesize that across both groups, student engagement will be higher when task-strength alignment is higher. We also predict there will be an inverse relationship between student engagement and caregiver stress in both groups.
Identifying absolute pitch possessors without using a note-naming task
(2012) Weisman, Ronald G.; Balkwill, Laura-Lee; Hoeschele, Marisa; Moscicki, Michele; Sturdy, Christopher B.
English: Most researchers measure absolute pitch (AP) using note-naming tasks that presume expertise with the scales of Western music. If note naming constitutes the only measure, then by fiat, only trained musicians can possess AP. Here we report on an AP test that does not require a note-naming response. The participants were 15 AP possessors and 45 nonpossessors defined by note naming. We presented sine tones tuned to the 12-note chromatic scale in a go/no-go discrimination between the first and second 6 notes in 3 successive octaves. This half-octave discrimination test predicted AP performance in the note-naming test with high accuracy and, in particular never falsely predicted that a nonpossessor defined by note naming was an AP possessor. We found 2 heterogeneities in the AP performance of our participants. Incremental AP possessors scored above the criterion for AP in 2 note-naming tests but required 2 sessions to attain accurate half-octave discriminations. Variable AP/NAP (nonabsolute pitch) possessors scored above criterion for AP in 1 naming test and below criterion in a second naming test but below criterion on the half-octave test. Our findings suggest the use of the half-octave discrimination test in future research into heterogeneities in AP and, most important, in the search for AP possessors untutored in music.
Lateralized behaviour of a non-social cichlid fish ( Amatitlania nigrofasciata) in a social and a non-social environment
(2011) Moscicki, Michele; Reddon, Adam R.; Hurd, Peter L.
Cerebral lateralization, the partitioning of cognitive function preferentially into one hemisphere of the brain, is a trait ubiquitous among vertebrates. Some species exhibit population level lateralization, where the pattern of cerebral lateralization is the same for most members of that species; however, other species show only individual level lateralization, where each member of the species has a unique pattern of lateralized brain function. The pattern of cerebral lateralization within a population and an individual has been shown to differ based on the stimulus being processed. It has been hypothesized that sociality within a species, such as shoaling behaviour in fish, may have led to the development and persistence of population level lateralization. Here we assessed cerebral lateralization in convict cichlids ( Amatitlania nigrofasciata), a species that does not shoal as adults but that shoals briefly as juveniles. We show that both male and female convict cichlids display population level lateralization when in a solitary environment but only females show population level lateralization when in a perceived social environment. We also show that the pattern of lateralization differs between these two tasks and that strength of lateralization in one task is not predictive of strength of lateralization in the other task.
Neural correlates of threat perception: neural equivalence of conspecific and heterospecific mobbing calls is learned
(2011) Avey, Marc T.; Hoeschele, Marisa; Moscicki, Michele; Bloomfield, Laurie L.; Sturdy, Christopher B.
Songbird auditory areas (i.e., CMM and NCM) are preferentially activated to playback of conspecific vocalizations relative to heterospecific and arbitrary noise [1-2]. Here, we asked if the neural response to auditory stimulation is not simply preferential for conspecific vocalizations but also for the information conveyed by the vocalization. Black-capped chickadees use their chick-a-dee mobbing call to recruit conspecifics and other avian species to mob perched predators [3]. Mobbing calls produced in response to smaller, higher-threat predators contain more ''D'' notes compared to those produced in response to larger, lower-threat predators and thus convey the degree of threat of predators [4]. We specifically asked whether the neural response varies with the degree of threat conveyed by the mobbing calls of chickadees and whether the neural response is the same for actual predator calls that correspond to the degree of threat of the chickadee mobbing calls. Our results demonstrate that, as degree of threat increases in conspecific chickadee mobbing calls, there is a corresponding increase in immediate early gene (IEG) expression in telencephalic auditory areas. We also demonstrate that as the degree of threat increases for the heterospecific predator, there is a corresponding increase in IEG expression in the auditory areas. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the amount IEG expression between conspecific mobbing calls or heterospecific predator calls that were the same degree of threat. In a second experiment, using hand-reared chickadees without predator experience, we found more IEG expression in response to mobbing calls than corresponding predator calls, indicating that degree of threat is learned. Our results demonstrate that degree of threat corresponds to neural activity in the auditory areas and that threat can be conveyed by different species signals and that these signals must be learned.
Note types and coding in parid vocalizations: the chick-a-dee call of the boreal chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus)
(2011) Moscicki, Michele; Hoeschele, Marisa; Bloomfield, Laurie L.; Modanu, Maria; Charrier, Isabelle; Sturdy, Christopher B.
An important first step in characterizing a vocalization is to classify, describe, and measure the elements of that vocalization. Here, this methodology is employed to study the chick-a-dee call of the boreal chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus). The note types (A, B, C, D, and Dh) in a sample of boreal chickadee calls are identified and described, spectral and temporal features of each note type are analyzed, and production phenomena in each note type are identified and quantified. Acoustic variability is compared across note types and individuals to determine potential features used for note-type and individual discrimination. Frequency measures appear to be the most useful features for identifying note types and individuals, though total duration may also be useful. Call syntax reveals that boreal chick-a-dee calls follow a general rule of note-type order, namely A-B-C-Dh-D, and that any note type in this sequence may be repeated or omitted. This work provides a thorough description of the boreal chickadee chick-a-dee call and will serve as a foundation for future studies aimed at elucidating this call’s functional significance within this species, as well as for studies comparing chick-a-dee calls across Poecile species.
Note types and coding in parid vocalizations: the chick-a-dee call of the chestnut-backed chickadee (Poecile Rufuscens)
(2009) Hoeschele, Marisa; Gammon, David E.; Moscicki, Michele; Sturdy, Christopher B.
A first step to understanding how a species communicates acoustically is to identify, categorize, and quantify the acoustic parameters of the elements that make up their vocalizations. The "chick-a-dee" call notes of the chestnut-backed chickadee (Poecile rufescens) were sorted into four call note categories, A, C, D, and Dh notes, based on their acoustic structure as observed in sound spectrograms, and evaluated based on the syntactical ordering of the note types within calls. The notes were then analyzed using quantitative measures and it was determined which features have the potential to convey information to discriminate note type, individual, and the geographic origin of the producer. The findings were comparable to previous research of congeners in that chestnut-backed chickadee calls were produced with a relatively fixed syntax and contained similarly structured note types across all geographic regions. Overall this information will form a base for future research on chestnut-backed chickadee vocalizations and will strengthen the foundation for future comparative evolutionary studies.
Seeing orange: breeding convict cichlids exhibit heightened aggression against more colorful intruders
(2015) Anderson, C.; Jones, R.; Moscicki, Michele; Clotfelter, E.; Earley, R. L.
Female convict cichlids (Amatitlania siquia) exhibit bright orange ventral coloration that males lack. The behavioral implications of this color are poorly understood, particularly in naturally occurring populations where female coloration could play a role in the expression of territorial nest-guarding behaviors. In this field experiment, monogamous breeding pairs of convict cichlids were presented with 3D printed model conspecific intruders of three body sizes (small, medium, and large) exhibiting three orange patch sizes (large, small, or none) to observe how territorial aggression varied as a function of intruder size and female coloration. Individuals occupying breeding pairs that were defending hatched offspring were significantly more aggressive toward intruders with small and large amounts of orange than toward models lacking orange, indicating that color is an important contextdependent elicitor of aggression in this species. Males were significantly more aggressive toward the intruder than females, and male aggression was strongly influenced by their size relative to the intruder. When males were smaller than the intruder, they performed significantly more aggressive acts than when they were the same size or larger than the intruder; this trend persisted across three putative populations in Lake Xiloa, Nicaragua. A potential explanation for these findings is that the orange color functions as a signal of individual quality or breeding readiness and that breeding pairs increase aggression to repel intruders that pose the greatest threat to pair bond and nest maintenance.
Sex, boldness and stress experience affect convict cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata, open field behaviour
(2015) Moscicki, Michele; Hurd, Peter L.
How an organism deals with stressors is an integral component of survival. Recent research has shown that differences in a well-studied personality axis in fish, the shy–bold axis, relate to stress-coping behaviours. Bold fish tend to cope in a proactive manner (e.g. fighting) while shy fish cope more reactively (e.g. freezing). Because bold fish behave in a more risk-prone manner, it is likely that they encounter more stressors on average than shy fish. Greater exposure to stressful conditions may result in bold fish being less behaviourally sensitive to stressors (i.e. stress resilience). To investigate the idea of stress exposure leading to resilience, we examined whether fish personality (i.e. more bold or shy) affected anxiety-related behaviour in an open field task after fish had been exposed to a net-chasing stressor. We investigated open field behaviour in the presence and absence of a stressor (i.e. damage-induced alarm cues) to determine whether bolder fish would cope differently with a stressor than shy fish after recent stress exposure of a different type. Furthermore, we examined whether asymmetry in the habenula, an asymmetrical nucleus related to behavioural responses to stress and anxiety, is related to behaviour in the presence of stressors. We found no relationship between habenular asymmetry and behaviour in the open field. Net chasing increased activity in the open field for both sexes. We found an interaction between stress exposure and freezing behaviour in females but not in males. When females were not net-chased, shyer females showed a decrease in freezing behaviour when exposed to alarm cues, whereas bolder females showed no change in behaviour. When females were net-chased, there was no difference in freezing behaviour between bolder and shyer fish. We suggest that different parental care roles in this species lead to differential perceptions of the threat of stress between the sexes.

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