Journal article
Chrysippus's pigeon: Exclusion-based responding in an avian model
Journal of experimental psychology. Animal learning and cognition, Vol.43(2), pp.139-146
04/2017
DOI: 10.1037/xan0000131
PMID: 27936821
Abstract
Inference by exclusion can be exhibited by deductively responding to new stimuli that are presented in the context of familiar stimuli. We investigated exclusion-based responding in pigeons using a 2-alternative forced-choice discrimination task. In Phase 1, pigeons learned to associate 2 stimuli (A and B) with Response 1 and 2 stimuli (C and D) with Response 2. Following successful acquisition of these stimulus-response pairings, pigeons advanced to Phase 2, in which stimuli A and B were now reassigned to Response 2. Based on their Phase 1 training, pigeons should initially choose Response 1 when presented with A and B in Phase 2 (this response is now incorrect, but the birds would not yet have had the opportunity to learn the new stimulus-response associations). Also, in Phase 2, stimuli E and F-new stimuli replacing stimuli C and D-were concurrently presented and assigned to Response 1. Without prior training, pigeons' initial responding to E and F in Phase 2 should be at chance. However, if the pigeons were to apply an exclusion rule (stimuli E and F stand in opposition to stimuli A and B), then they might initially choose Response 2 for new stimuli E and F because they are concurrently choosing Response 1 for stimuli A and B. If that is the case, then choice accuracy for stimuli E and F should also be below chance. Indeed, our pigeons responded at reliably below chance levels to stimuli E and F, consistent with their exhibiting an exclusion rule-based strategy, which could actually arise from a more mechanical underlying process such as acquired equivalence formation. (PsycINFO Database Record
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Chrysippus's pigeon: Exclusion-based responding in an avian model
- Creators
- Marisol C Lauffer - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of IowaLeyre Castro - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of IowaEdward A Wasserman - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of experimental psychology. Animal learning and cognition, Vol.43(2), pp.139-146
- Publisher
- United States
- DOI
- 10.1037/xan0000131
- PMID
- 27936821
- ISSN
- 2329-8456
- eISSN
- 2329-8464
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/2017
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984070619402771
Metrics
12 Record Views