Journal article
Transposition in pigeons: reassessing Spence (1937) with multiple discrimination training
Learning & behavior, Vol.33(1), pp.22-46
02/2005
DOI: 10.3758/BF03196048
PMID: 15971491
Abstract
We studied transposition in pigeons, using multiple-pair discrimination training. Four birds discriminated two pairs of circles: 1+ 2- and 5+ 6- or 1 - 2 + and 5- 6 + (digits denote circle diameters and plus and minus signs denote reward and nonreward, respectively). Four other birds discriminated four pairs of circles: 1+ 2-, 1+ 3-, 4+ 6-, and 5+ 6- or 1- 2 +, 1- 3 +, 4- 6+, and 5- 6+. Finally, 4 birds discriminated only one pair of circles: 1+ 2-, 1- 2+, 5+ 6-, or 5- 6+. Testing included five new pairs--1/5, 2/3,2/6,3/4, and 4/5--that distinguished absolute from relational accounts of transposition. The pigeons' relational responding rose from one- to two- to four-pair training. The similarity of the testing stimuli to one another also affected relational responding: Transposition increased with highly dissimilar stimuli. Neither Spence's (1937) theory nor existing relational accounts could predict the obtained pattern of relational responding.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Transposition in pigeons: reassessing Spence (1937) with multiple discrimination training
- Creators
- Olga F Lazareva - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. olga-lazareva@uiowa.eduEdward A WassermanMichael E Young
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Learning & behavior, Vol.33(1), pp.22-46
- DOI
- 10.3758/BF03196048
- PMID
- 15971491
- NLM abbreviation
- Learn Behav
- ISSN
- 1543-4494
- eISSN
- 1543-4508
- Publisher
- United States
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/2005
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984070512802771
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