Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), video tasks, and implications for stimulus-response spatial contiguity.

Abstract

In many discrimination-learning tests, spatial separation between stimuli and response loci disrupts performance in rhesus macaques. However, monkeys are unaffected by such stimulus-response spatial discontiguity when responses occur through joystick-based computerized movement of a cursor. To examine this discrepancy, five monkeys were tested on a learning-set task that required them to touch computer-graphic "levers" (which differed in location across experimental phases) with a cursor in order to select an associated test stimulus. The task produced both first-order Uoystick and lever) and second-order (lever and stimuli) spatial discontiguity between the stimuli to be discriminated and the discriminative response. Performance was significantly better than chance for all lever locations including locations in which selection of the correct lever required moving the cursor away from the positive stimulus. Thus, rhesus macaques do not attend simply to the region around the cursor in these computerized tests, but rather they attend to relevant stimulus loci eVl en when these are discontiguous with response and reward areas.

Automation of learning-set testing: The video-task paradigm

“…Each was skilled in using a joystick to respond in video-formatted tasks. Details of their previous trainingare reported elsewhere (Rumbaugh, Richardson, et al, 1989). The animals were neither food-nor water-deprived throughout this experiment; however, access to food during experimental sessions was generally restricted to that available by appropriate responding.…”

“…Although the stimuli in the video-task paradigm are separated from response and reward sites by at least 20 em, we successfully trained 2 rhesus monkeys to manipulate the joystick in response to various computer-generated stimuli (see Rumbaugh, Richardson, Washburn, Savage-Rumbaugh, & Hopkins, 1989, for details of these training procedures).…”

The ‘shoulds’ and ‘coulds’ of meaningful failures: Introduction to the special issue.

“…The five macaques were previously trained to respond to computer-generated stimuli by manipulating a joystick to control a computer-graphic cursor, and had been tested on many tasks (including delayed matching-to-sample tests of memory; see Rumbaugh, Richardson, Washburn, Hopkins & Savage-Rumbaugh, 1989). The monkeys were not deprived of food or otherwise reduced in body weight for purposes of testing, but rather engaged in the task or rested ad libitum, with continuous access to the computer-task apparatus.…”

Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta) Maintain Learning Set Despite Second-Order Stimulus-Response Spatial Discontiguity

“…Rumbaugh et al (1989) reported that two rhesus monkeys mastered control of a joystick to respond to a variety of stimuli on a computer monitor despite the fact that the joystick was located up to 6 inches away from the video screen. Rumbaugh et al suggested that S-R spatial discontiguity affected performance only to the extent that the monkeys attended to the movement of their hands.…”

“…Another successful means of overcoming S-R spatial discontiguity by rhesus monkeys has involved joystick-based computerized tests (Richardson, Washburn, Hopkins, Savage-Rumbaugh, & Rumbaugh, 1990;Rumbaugh , Richardson, Washburn, Savage-Rumbaugh, & Hopkins, 1989;. Rumbaugh et al (1989) reported that two rhesus monkeys mastered control of a joystick to respond to a variety of stimuli on a computer monitor despite the fact that the joystick was located up to 6 inches away from the video screen.…”