Interference in pigeons’ long-term memory viewed as a retrieval problem

Thomas, David R.; McKelvie, Alan R.; Ranney, Michael; Moye, Thomas B.

doi:10.3758/bf03209794

Cited by 41 publications

(96 citation statements)

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“…Pigeons typically learn conditional discriminations in operant free-response situations only with great difficulty and after extensive training (Boneau & Honig, 1964;Richards, 1979). In a study by Thomas, McKelvie, Ranney , and Moye (1981), however, such learning was achieved very rapidly. Pigeons first acquired a successive wavelength discrimination and then its reversal, each in a different physical context (e.g.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…, houselight and tone , HL T, dark and noise, HL N). The subjects were then tested for generalization in each context, and every gradient peaked at the appropriate S + value, that is, that of the S + trained in that context.Both the procedure and the conditional stimuli used by Thomas et al (1981) differ from those previously used , and which of these factors accounts for the results that were obtained needs to be determined. Thomas, McKelvie, and Mah (1985) found that the auditory component of HL T played no role in the effectiveness of the compound .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Both the procedure and the conditional stimuli used by Thomas et al (1981) differ from those previously used , and which of these factors accounts for the results that were obtained needs to be determined. Thomas, McKelvie, and Mah (1985) found that the auditory component of HL T played no role in the effectiveness of the compound .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…In the present study, we used the conditional cues employed by Thomas et al (1981) in order to make this comparison.…”

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Conditional discrimination learning by pigeons: The role of training paradigms

Thomas

Goldberg

1985

Bull. Psychon. Soc.

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Three groups of pigeons (n = 8) learned a successive discrimination, 538-nm S+ versus 576-nm S-, in one context, say , houselight and tone, and the reversal in another context, say , dark and noise. In Group 1, the single reversal paradigm was used ; for Group 2, the problems alternated daily; and for Group 3, they alternated minute by minute. Wavelength generalization gradients obtained in both contexts revealed conditional control by context, which was weakest in Group 3.Conditional discrimination learning refers to a situation in which the (positive or negative) value of a particular stimulus depends on the other stimulus or stimuli with which it is combined. Pigeons typically learn conditional discriminations in operant free-response situations only with great difficulty and after extensive training (Boneau & Honig, 1964;Richards, 1979). In a study by Thomas, McKelvie, Ranney , and Moye (1981), however, such learning was achieved very rapidly. Pigeons first acquired a successive wavelength discrimination and then its reversal, each in a different physical context (e.g. , houselight and tone , HL T, dark and noise, HL N). The subjects were then tested for generalization in each context, and every gradient peaked at the appropriate S + value, that is, that of the S + trained in that context.Both the procedure and the conditional stimuli used by Thomas et al. (1981) differ from those previously used , and which of these factors accounts for the results that were obtained needs to be determined. Thomas, McKelvie, and Mah (1985) found that the auditory component of HL T played no role in the effectiveness of the compound . They also showed that striped versus plain walls were effective conditional cues, whereas background key color did not gain conditional control over a line angle discrimination in the single reversal paradigm. They suggested that pigeons may use global visual cues to identify the place in which food is obtained and may be predisposed to associate such place cues with the learning that occurred in those locations.The present study investigates the temporal factors that may affect operant free-response conditional discrimination learning. With regard to the alternation of training conditions, the single reversal paradigm is at one end of a continuum. At the other end is the typical procedure in which the cues alternate on a minute-by-minute basis (cf. Boneau & Honig, 1964;Richards , 1979). Intermediate between these extremes is conditional serial discrimination reversal learning (CSDR ) as used by Thomas and McKelvie (1982). In their study, a wavelength discrimiRequests for reprintsshouldbe addressed to David R. Thomas, Department of Psychology, Campus Box 345, University of Colorado. Boulder. CO 80309. nation and its reversal were presented on alternate days, with a different line angle accompanying each problem. The birds learned the conditional relationship, and after approximately 30 days of training, they began each session by responding appropriately even before the first reinforcer had bee...

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

“…In the present study, we used the conditional cues employed by Thomas et al (1981) in order to make this comparison.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conditional discrimination learning by pigeons: The role of training paradigms

Thomas

Goldberg

1985

Bull. Psychon. Soc.

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“…More specifically, Thomas, McKelvie, Ranney, and Moye (1981) conducted a study in which pigeons were rewarded for pecking a 538-nm light (S +), but not when the light was 576 nm (S -), and the context throughout was a houselight plus tone. After the pigeons mastered the S + S -discrimination, the S+ and S -stimuli were reversed.…”

Section: Symbolic Matching 55mentioning

confidence: 99%

Generalization gradients following training on a symbolic matching-to-sample task

Bowers

Richards

1986

Animal Learning & Behavior

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Multiple functions of context during conditioning: A developmental analysis

Carew

Rudy

1991

Developmental Psychobiology

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Contextual stimuli may influence conditioned behavior in at least two ways (e.g. Bouton & Bolles, 1985). By becoming associated with the unconditioned stimulus (US), context cues can acquire excitatory strength that facilitates responding to a phasic conditioned stimulus (CS). The context also can function to clarify the meaning of an ambiguous CS. Data obtained with an appetitive Pavlovian conditioning paradigm suggest that the processes mediating these two influences of context are dissociated during development. Evidence of context-US associations was observed in rats that began training on Postnatal Day 17, but no evidence for a disambiguation function was found until pups were 20- to 23-days-old. Evidence for a context-US association was obtained by demonstrating that US alone presentations in the training context restored conditioned responding to an extinguished CS. Evidence for a disambiguation function was obtained by demonstrating that a context shift, concurrent with extinction of responding to a phasic CS, preserved responding to the CS when the subjects were subsequently tested in the training context. These findings were discussed in relation to (a) the development of the rat's ability to use relational representations, and (b) Nadel and Zola-Morgan's (1984) hypothesis linking hippocampal maturation to the role of context during development.

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Interference in pigeons’ long-term memory viewed as a retrieval problem

Cited by 41 publications

References 8 publications

Conditional discrimination learning by pigeons: The role of training paradigms

Conditional discrimination learning by pigeons: The role of training paradigms

Generalization gradients following training on a symbolic matching-to-sample task

Multiple functions of context during conditioning: A developmental analysis

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