Abstract
A method of measuring thresholds in animals is described and illustrated in the case of flicker fusion in the budgerigar. After training with reinforcement for pecking at a high-frequency light (115 Hz) and nonreinforcement for pecking at a low-frequency light (20 Hz), subjects were given threshold trials and reinforcement trials mixed randomly in equal number. In threshold trials (no reinforcement), the target began flashing at 115 Hz and decreased in flash rate with each peck until the subject stopped responding. During reinforcement trials, the target continued to flash at 115 Hz, and responses were reinforced on a variable-ratio schedule. Flicker thresholds obtained from two birds showed a linear relation to the logarithm of intensity in accordance with the Ferry-Porter law.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- BLOUGH D. S. A method for obtaining psychophysical thresholds from the pigeon. J Exp Anal Behav. 1958 Jan;1:31–43. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1958.1-31. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ginsburg N. Flicker fusion bibliography, 1953-1968. Percept Mot Skills. 1970 Apr;30(2):427–482. doi: 10.2466/pms.1970.30.2.427. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hendricks J. Flicker thresholds as determined by a modified conditioned suppression procedure. J Exp Anal Behav. 1966 Sep;9(5):501–506. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1966.9-501. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]