Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour

Research Interests:

I have studied ants, bees, birds, rats, and humans. A continuing research theme is animal navigation. I am a pioneer in the modern study of spatial cognition. My early research on the use of landmarks in rats uncovered the importance of the broad geometric shape of the environment, with my 1986 paper on the topic attracting over 200 citations. I continue to make theoretical contributions to the topic of geometry, with with 3 journal papers and 2 chapters on the theme since 2005.

Recently, I have been collaborating with Rüdiger Wehner of the University of Zurich and my current student Ajay Narendra on research on the navigational strategies of desert ants. We study a North African species (Cataglyphis fortis) as well as a Central Australian species (Melophorus bagoti). Topics include functional studies on the behavioural ecology of navigational memories, and mechanistic studies addressing how desert ants solve complex navigational challenges with tiny brains.

I also collaborate with Marie Herberstein and Astrid Heiling of the Department of Biological Sciences, and a student, Dinesh Rao, on predator-prey interactions between bees and spiders. We study orb web spiders and ambush hunting crab spiders, and both native bees and honeybees. We are interested in the roles of web decorations sometimes found on orb webs, and the visual signals (or lack thereof) found on crab spiders' bodies.

Selected Publications:

Cheng, K. (1994).  The determination of direction in landmark-based spatial search in pigeons: A further test of the vector sum model.  Animal Learning & Behavior, 22, 291-301.

Cheng, K. & Spetch, M.L. (1995).  Stimulus control in the use of landmarks by pigeons in a touch-screen task.  Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 63, 187-201.

Cheng, K., Spetch, M.L. & Miceli, P. (1996).  Averaging temporal duration and spatial position.  Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 22, 175-182.

Cheng, K., & Miceli, P. (1996).  Modelling timing performance on the peak procedure.  Behavioural Processes, 37, 137-156.

Spetch, M.L., Cheng, K., & MacDonald, S.E. (1996).  Learning the configuration of a landmark array I: Touch-screen studies with pigeons and humans.  Journal of Comparative Psychology, 110, 55-68.

Spetch, M.L., Cheng, K., MacDonald, S.E., Linkenhoker, B.A., Kelly, D.M., & Doerkson, S.R. (1997).  Learning the configuration of a landmark array in humans and pigeons II: Generality across search tasks.  Journal of Comparative Psychology, 111, 14-24.

Cheng, K., Spetch. M.L., & Johnston, M. (1997).  Spatial peak shift and generalization in pigeons.  Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 23, 469-481.

Spetch, M.L., & Cheng, K. (1998).  A step function in pigeons' temporal generalization in the peak shift task.  Animal Learning & Behavior, 26, 103-118.

Cheng, K. (1998).  Distances and directions are computed separately by honeybees in landmark-based search.  Animal Learning & Behavior, 26, 455-468.

Cheng, K. (1998).  Honeybees (Apis mellifera) remember two near-target landmark constellations.  Learning and Motivation, 29, 435-443.

Brodbeck, D.R., Hampton, R.R., & Cheng, K. (1998).  Timing behavior of black-capped chickadees.  Behavioural Processes, 44, 183-195. 

Cheng, K. (1999).  Spatial generalization in honeybees confirms Shepard's law. Behavioural Processes, 44, 309-316.

Cheng, K., Srinivasan, M.V., & Zhang, S.W. (1999).  Error is proportional to distance measured by honeybees: Weber's law in the odometer.  Animal Cognition, 2, 11-16.

Cheng, K. (1999).  Landmark-based spatial search in honeybees: I. Use of elements and interlandmark angles.  Animal Cognition, 2, 73-78.

Cheng, K. (1999).  Landmark-based spatial search in honeybees: II. Using gaps and blocks.  Animal Cognition, 2, 79-90.

Srinivasan, M.V., Zhang, S.W., Berry, J., Cheng, K., & Zhu, H. (1999).  Honeybee navigation: linear perception of short distances travelled.  Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 185, 239-245.

Cheng, K. (2000).  How honeybees find a place: Lessons from a simple mind.  Animal Learning & Behavior, 28, 1-15.

Cheng, K. (2000).  Shepard's universal law supported by honeybees in spatial generalization.  Psychological Science, 11, 403-408.

Evans, C.S., Wenderoth, P.M., & Cheng, K. (2000).  Detection of bilateral symmetry in complex biological images.  Perception, 29, 31-42.

Kamil, A.C., & Cheng, K. (2001).  Way-finding and landmarks: The multiple-bearings hypothesis.  Journal of Experimental Biology, 204, 103-113.

Cheng, K., & Spetch, M.L. (2001).  Blocking in landmark-based search in honeybees.  Animal Learning & Behavior, 29, 1-9.

Kamil, A.C., Goodyear, A.J., & Cheng, K. (2001).  The use of landmarks by Clark's nutcrackers: first tests of a new model.  The Journal of Navigation, 54, 429-435.

Cheng, K. (2002).  Generalisation: Mechanistic and functional explanations.  Animal Cognition, 5, 33-40.

Cheng, K., Peña, J., Porter, M.A., & Irwin, J.D. (2002).  Self control in honeybees.  Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9, 259-263.

Cheng, K., & Spetch, M.L. (2002).  Spatial generalization and peak shift in humans.  Learning and Motivation, 33, 358-389.

Cheng, K., & Wehner, R. (2002).  Navigating desert ants (Cataglyphis fortis) learn to alter their search patterns on their homebound journey.  Physiological Entomology, 27, 85-90.

Heiling, A.M., Cheng, K., &. Herberstein, M.E. (2004).  Exploitation of floral signals by crab spiders (Thomisus spectabilis, Thomisidae).  Behavioral Ecology, 15, 321-326.

Spetch, M.L., Cheng, K., & Clifford, C.W.G. (2004).  Peak shift but not range effects in face recognition.  Learning and Motivation, 35, 221-241.

MacDonald, S.E., Spetch, M.L., Kelly, D.M., & Cheng, K. (2004).  Strategies in landmark use by children, adults, and marmoset monkeys.  Learning and Motivation, 35, 322-347.

Cheng, K. (2005).  Context cues eliminate retroactive interference effects in honeybees (Apis mellifera).  Journal of Experimental Biology, 208, 1019-1024.

Oaten, M., & Cheng, K. (2005).  Academic stress impairs self-control.  Journal of Clinical and Social Psychology, 24, 254-279.

Cheng, K., & Newcombe, N.S. (2005).  Is there a geometric module for spatial orientation? Squaring theory and evidence.  Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 12, 1-23.

Cheng, K., & Galllistel, C.R. (2005). Shape parameters explain data from spatial transformations: Comment on Pearce et al. (2004) and Tommasi and Polli (2004).  Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 31, 254-259.

Heiling, A.M., Chittka, L., Cheng, K., &. Herberstein, M.E. (2005). Colouration in crab spiders: substrate choice and prey attraction.  Journal of Experimental Biology, 208, 1785-1792.

Cheng K. (2005).  Reflections on geometry and navigation.  Connection Science, 17, 5-21 (special issue on navigation edited by K.J. Jeffery).

Heiling, A.M., Cheng, K., Chittka, L., Goeth, A., & Herberstein, M.E. (2005).  The role of UV in crab spider signals: effects on perception by prey and predators. Journal of Experimental Biology, 208, 3925-3931.

Bingman, V.P., & Cheng, K. (2005). Mechanisms of animal global navigation: Comparative perspectives and enduring challenges.  Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 17, 295-318.

Oaten, M., & Cheng, K. (2006).  Improved self-control: The benefits of a regular program of academic study.  Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 28, 1-16.

Cheng, K., & Wignall, A.E. (2006).  Honeybees (Apis mellifera) holding on to memories: Response competition causes retroactive interference effects.  Animal Cognition, 9, 141-150.

Wignall, A.E., Heiling, A.M., Cheng, K., & Herberstein, M.E. (2006).  Flower symmetry preferences in honeybees and their crab spider predators.  Ethology, 112, 510-518.

Cheng, K., Narendra, A, & Wehner, R. (2006).  Behavioral ecology of odometric memories in desert ants: Acquisition, retention, and integration.  Behavioral Ecology, 17, 227-235.

Cheng, K., Spetch, M.L., Kelly, D.M., & Bingman, V.P. (2006).  Small-scale spatial cognition in pigeons.  Behavioural Processes, 72, 115-127.

Oaten, M., & Cheng, K. (in press).  Longitudinal gains in self-regulation from regular physical exercise.  British Journal of Health Psychology.  Accepted 20 January 2006.

Verbeek, E.L., Spetch, M.L., Cheng, K., & Clifford, C.W.G. (in press).  Determinants of range  effects in face recognition.  Learning & Behavior.  Accepted 3 February 2006.

Heiling, A.M., Cheng, K., & Herberstein, M.E. (2006). Picking the right spot: crab spiders position themselves on flowers to maximize prey attraction.  Behaviour, 143, in press.