Multiple-pair training enhances transposition in pigeons

Olga Lazareva; Michelle Miner; Edward Wasserman; Michael Young

doi:10.3758/LB.36.3.174

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Multiple-pair training enhances transposition in pigeons

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Multiple-pair training enhances transposition in pigeons

Olga Lazareva, Michelle Miner, Edward Wasserman and Michael Young

Animal learning & behavior, Vol.36(3), pp.174-187

08/2008

DOI: 10.3758/LB.36.3.174

PMID: 18683463

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Abstract

We studied transposition in pigeons by training them to select the smaller (or the larger) of a pair of circles. In training, different groups of pigeons were given one pair, two pairs, or three pairs of circles along the size dimension. Testing included two stimulus pairs for which, according to theoretical postdiscrimination generalization gradients, transposition should decrease from one-pair to two-pair to three-pair training. On the basis of the results of our earlier study (Lazareva, Wasserman, & Young, 2005) and contrary to these predictions, we expected that transposition should increase from one-pair to two-pair to three-pair training. We found that multiple-pair discrimination training enhanced transposition, which, on average, rose from 47% (one-pair training) to 52% (two-pair training) to 64% (three-pair training). In addition, we found that the overall similarity of the testing pair to the training pair(s) modulated the strength of relational responding. These results demonstrate that encountering multiple instances of a rule leads to stronger relational learning, even when reinforcement history predicts the opposite trend. These results also provide strong evidence against stimulus generalization as the sole determinant of relational responding in transposition.

Neurosciences

Psychology

Psychology, general

Details

Title: Subtitle: Multiple-pair training enhances transposition in pigeons
Creators: Olga Lazareva - Department of Psychology University of Iowa E11 Seashore Hall 52242 Iowa City IA
Michelle Miner - Department of Psychology University of Iowa E11 Seashore Hall 52242 Iowa City IA
Edward Wasserman - Department of Psychology University of Iowa E11 Seashore Hall 52242 Iowa City IA
Michael Young - Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Animal learning & behavior, Vol.36(3), pp.174-187
DOI: 10.3758/LB.36.3.174
PMID: 18683463
NLM abbreviation: Anim Learn Behav
ISSN: 0090-4996
eISSN: 1532-5830
Publisher: Springer-Verlag; New York
Language: English
Date published: 08/2008
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984070589902771

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