Peculiar features of the adaptive behavior of thick-toed geckos in the orbital spaceflight experiment

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Abstract

Peculiar features of locomotion of thick-toed geckos as model object of adaptive behavior in weightlessness were studied under the conditions of orbital space flight. A comparison of geckos’ head and feet movements in the flight group with those in the control group reveals the specific role of the paw adhesion-type contact to the surfaces (“sticking”) that characterizes the contribution of tactile sensitivity into adaptation to microgravity conditions.

General Information

Keywords: thick-toed gecko, tactile sensitivity, motor activity, adaptive behavior, microgravity, orbital experiment

Journal rubric: Cognitive Psychology

Article type: scientific article

For citation: Khvatov I.A., Gulimova V.I., Barabanov V.M., Sokolov A.Y., Saveliev S.V., Kharitonov A.N. Peculiar features of the adaptive behavior of thick-toed geckos in the orbital spaceflight experiment. Eksperimental'naâ psihologiâ = Experimental Psychology (Russia), 2014. Vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 44–56. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Ivan A. Khvatov, PhD in Psychology, Head, Center for Research and Education in Biopsychology and Chair of General Psychology, Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6939-244X, e-mail: ittkrot1@gmail.com

Victoria I. Gulimova, PhD in Biology, Senior Researcher, FSBI Institute of Human Morphology, RAMS, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: gulimova@yandex.ru

Valery M. Barabanov, PhD in Biology, Leading Research Associate, Institute of Human Morphology, RAMS, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: barabanov6@rambler.ru

Alexey Y. Sokolov, PhD in Biology, Chief Research Scientist, Center for Science and Educational of Biopsychological Research, Moscow Institute of psychoanalysis, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6927-6473, e-mail: apophis-king@mail.ru

Sergey V. Saveliev, Doctor of Biology, Professor, Head of the Laboratory of Nervous System Development, Institute of Human Morphology, RAMS, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: embrains@hotmail.com

Alexandr N. Kharitonov, PhD in Psychology, Senior Researcher, Institute of Psychology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific and Educational Center for Biopsychological Research, Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis (NOCHU VO “Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis”); Leading Researcher at the Center for Experimental Psychology, Moscow State Psychological and Pedagogical University (FSBEI HE MGPPU), Deputy editor-in-chief of the scientific journal "Experimental Psychology", Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4801-9937, e-mail: ankhome47@list.ru

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