Abstract
Japanese monkeys were trained to form the sameness-difference concept. In Experiment 1, four monkeys were trained with two colors to discriminate matching stimulus pairs from nonmatching pairs by reinforcing only lever-pressing responses to matching pairs with a variable-interval schedule. Three monkeys showed successful transfer of this discrimination to two new colors, thus demonstrating that some Japanese monkeys are able to form this relational concept from a minimum number of stimuli. In Experiment 2, two monkeys were trained, in a Yes/No procedure with three colors, to press one lever under matching pairs and another lever under nonmatching pairs. Poor transfer performances to three new colors suggest that simultaneously establishing two different response patterns to matching and nonmatching pairs is ineffective in forming the concept. In Experiment 3, the amount of transfer to three new colors after mastering a standard three-color matching-to-sample task was compared with that of a modified task in which correct responses were reinforced with a within-trial variable-interval schedule. All three monkeys showed greater transfer with the modified procedure. The results suggest that the variable-interval schedule adopted within trials is effective in forming the sameness-difference concept.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Carter D. E., Werner T. J. Complex learning and information processing by pigeons: a critical analysis. J Exp Anal Behav. 1978 May;29(3):565–601. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1978.29-565. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FERSTER C. B. Intermittent reinforcement of matching to sample in the pigeon. J Exp Anal Behav. 1960 Jul;3:259–272. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1960.3-259. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HEARST E., KORESKO M. B., POPPEN R. STIMULUS GENERALIZATION AND THE RESPONSE-REINFORCEMENT CONTINGENCY. J Exp Anal Behav. 1964 Sep;7:369–380. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-369. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Herman L. M., Gordon J. A. Auditory delayed matching in the bottlenose dolphin. J Exp Anal Behav. 1974 Jan;21(1):19–26. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1974.21-19. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lydersen T., Perkins D., Chairez H. Effects of fixed-ratio sample and choice response requirements upon oddity matching. J Exp Anal Behav. 1977 Jan;27(1):97–101. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1977.27-97. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mello N. K. Alcohol effects on delayed matching to sample performance by rhesus monkey. Physiol Behav. 1971 Jul;7(1):77–101. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(71)90239-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- NEVIN J. A., CUMMING W. W., BERRYMAN T. Ratio reinforcement of matching behavior. J Exp Anal Behav. 1963 Apr;6:149–154. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1963.6-149. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- ROBINSON J. S. The sameness-difference discrimination problem in chimpanzee. J Comp Physiol Psychol. 1955 Jun;48(3):195–197. doi: 10.1037/h0042463. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shaffer O. Role of object-discrimination responses in oddity. J Comp Physiol Psychol. 1967 Apr;63(2):361–365. doi: 10.1037/h0024377. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Urcuioli P. J., Nevin J. A. Transfer of hue matching in pigeons. J Exp Anal Behav. 1975 Sep;24(2):149–155. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1975.24-149. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Urcuioli P. J. Transfer of oddity-from-sample performance in pigeons. J Exp Anal Behav. 1977 Jan;27(1):195–202. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1977.27-195. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Zentall T. R., Hogan E. Same/different concept learning in the pigeon: the effect of negative instances and prior adaptation to transfer stimuli. J Exp Anal Behav. 1978 Sep;30(2):177–186. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1978.30-177. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]