A MULTISTIMULUS, PORTABLE, AND PROGRAMMABLE CONDITIONING PANEL FOR PIGEONS

A portable two-response-key conditioning panel for pigeons is describe d. It can be attached to the subjects' home cages and allows around-th e-clock experimentation. Visual stimuli are presented with light-diode display matrices. Food rewards are dispensed directly onto the stimul us/response keys with separate solenoid dispensers. Several platforms can be simultaneously controlled by a single personal computer with pr ograms written in a simple language adapted for on-line operation. Two experiments exploring the effects of prolonged conditioning sessions upon responding and learning demonstrated the effectiveness of the sys tem. The apparatus is an efficient and inexpensive alternative to a co nventional conditioning chamber.