Associative concept learning in animals

Thomas R Zentall; Edward A Wasserman; Peter J Urcuioli

doi:10.1002/jeab.55

Back

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Associative concept learning in animals

Thomas R Zentall, Edward A Wasserman and Peter J Urcuioli

Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, Vol.101(1), pp.130-151

01/2014

DOI: 10.1002/jeab.55

PMCID: PMC3927728

PMID: 24170540

Files and links (1)

url

http://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.55View

Open Access

Abstract

Nonhuman animals show evidence for three types of concept learning: perceptual or similarity-based in which objects/stimuli are categorized based on physical similarity; relational in which one object/stimulus is categorized relative to another (e.g., same/different); and associative in which arbitrary stimuli become interchangeable with one another by virtue of a common association with another stimulus, outcome, or response. In this article, we focus on various methods for establishing associative concepts in nonhuman animals and evaluate data documenting the development of associative classes of stimuli. We also examine the nature of the common within-class representation of samples that have been associated with the same reinforced comparison response (i.e., many-to-one matching) by describing manipulations for distinguishing possible representations. Associative concepts provide one foundation for human language such that spoken and written words and the objects they represent become members of a class of interchangeable stimuli. The mechanisms of associative concept learning and the behavioral flexibility it allows, however, are also evident in the adaptive behaviors of animals lacking language.

Animals

Species Specificity

Cultural Evolution

Generalization, Stimulus

Humans

Reinforcement (Psychology)

Cognition

Pattern Recognition, Visual

Association Learning

Communication

Concept Formation

Discrimination Learning

Details

Title: Subtitle: Associative concept learning in animals
Creators: Thomas R Zentall - University of Kentucky
Edward A Wasserman
Peter J Urcuioli
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, Vol.101(1), pp.130-151
DOI: 10.1002/jeab.55
PMID: 24170540
PMCID: PMC3927728
NLM abbreviation: J Exp Anal Behav
ISSN: 0022-5002
eISSN: 1938-3711
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 HD060996 / NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD061322 / NICHD NIH HHS MH51562 / NIMH NIH HHS MH47313 / NIMH NIH HHS MH59194 / NIMH NIH HHS EY019781 / NEI NIH HHS HD060996 / NICHD NIH HHS HD061322 / NICHD NIH HHS R01 EY019781 / NEI NIH HHS R01 MH047313 / NIMH NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 01/2014
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984070734902771

Metrics

18 Record Views

76 Times Cited - Web of Science