Validating the virtual string task with the gap test

Stephen J BRZYKCY; Edward A WASSERMAN; Yasuo NAGASAKA; Sacha PEREZ-ACEVEDO

doi:10.1007/s10071-014-0769-5

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Validating the virtual string task with the gap test

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Validating the virtual string task with the gap test

Stephen J BRZYKCY, Edward A WASSERMAN, Yasuo NAGASAKA and Sacha PEREZ-ACEVEDO

Animal cognition, Vol.17(6), pp.1427-1431

2014

DOI: 10.1007/s10071-014-0769-5

PMID: 24920002

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Abstract

Relational concepts-such as connectedness-may be easy for human adults to appreciate; but, obtaining evidence of other species' understanding of connectedness has been challenging. One key test of connectedness involves an organism's responding to variants of the string task. Using a virtual string task, we gave pigeons a pair of strings from which to choose: one connected to a full dish of food and a second disconnected from another full dish of food. Our pigeons did not at first choose the connected string under conditions of non-differential reinforcement; later, the birds rapidly learned to choose the connected string under conditions of differential reinforcement. Our results replicate prior findings with real strings and food dishes, thereby demonstrating that pigeons can appreciate the connectedness between a string tether and a dish of food, and attesting to the utility and fidelity of the virtual string task.

Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology

General aspects

Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry

Biological and medical sciences

Animal ethology

Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution

Aves

Details

Title: Subtitle: Validating the virtual string task with the gap test
Creators: Stephen J BRZYKCY - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, E11 Seashore Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
Edward A WASSERMAN - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, E11 Seashore Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
Yasuo NAGASAKA - Laboratory for Adaptive Intelligence, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako 351-0198, Saitama, Japan
Sacha PEREZ-ACEVEDO - University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, PR, United States
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Animal cognition, Vol.17(6), pp.1427-1431
Publisher: Springer; Berlin
DOI: 10.1007/s10071-014-0769-5
PMID: 24920002
ISSN: 1435-9448
eISSN: 1435-9456
Language: English
Date published: 2014
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984070651602771

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