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Delayed temporal discrimination in pigeons: A comparison of two procedures
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Delayed temporal discrimination in pigeons: A comparison of two procedures

Diane L Chatlosh and Edward A Wasserman
Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, Vol.47(3), pp.299-309
05/1987
DOI: 10.1901/jeab.1987.47-299
PMCID: PMC1348313
PMID: 16812483
url
https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1987.47-299View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

A within-subjects comparison was made of pigeons' performance on two temporal discrimination procedures that were signaled by differently colored keylight samples. During stimulus trials, a peck on the key displaying a slanted line was reinforced following short keylight samples, and a peck on the key displaying a horizontal line was reinforced following long keylight samples, regardless of the location of the stimuli on those two choice keys. During position trials, a peck on the left key was reinforced following short keylight samples and a peck on the right key was reinforced following long keylight samples, regardless of which line stimulus appeared on the correct key. Thus, on stimulus trials, the correct choice key could not be discriminated prior to the presentation of the test stimuli, whereas on position trials, the correct choice key could be discriminated during the presentation of the sample stimulus. During Phase 1, with a 0-s delay between sample and choice stimuli, discrimination learning was faster on position trials than on stimulus trials for all 4 birds. During Phase 2, 0-, 0.5-, and 1.0-s delays produced differential loss of stimulus control under the two tasks for 2 birds. Response patterns during the delay intervals provided some evidence for differential mediation of the two delayed discriminations. These between-task differences suggest that the same processes may not mediate performance in each.
response mediation delayed discrimination procedures key peck pigeons temporal discrimination

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