Journal article
Mechanisms of same–different conceptualization: entropy happens
Current opinion in behavioral sciences, Vol.37, pp.19-28
02/2021
DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.06.001
Abstract
Can nonhuman animals learn abstract concepts? This intriguing question has been extensively studied over the past several decades with many different species and experimental methods. Here, we review evidence showing that pigeons can acquire a same–different concept: they readily learn to discriminate between arrays of same and different items as well as robustly transfer their discrimination to novel arrays of items. To do so, pigeons use the degree of visual variability in the collection of items, as measured by entropy. Not only pigeons, but baboons and human adults also use entropy in their discrimination of same from different items. Thus, entropy does seem to lie at the root of this basic abstract concept.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Mechanisms of same–different conceptualization: entropy happens
- Creators
- Edward A Wasserman - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Iowa, 340 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52242, United StatesMichael E Young - Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, 492 Bluemont Hall, 1114 Mid-Campus Dr North, Manhattan, KS 66506, United StatesLeyre Castro - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Iowa, 340 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Current opinion in behavioral sciences, Vol.37, pp.19-28
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.06.001
- ISSN
- 2352-1546
- eISSN
- 2352-1554
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000001, name: National Science Foundation
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/2021
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984070408502771
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