MEMORY FOR NUMBER OF LIGHT-FLASHES IN THE PIGEON

Two groups of pigeons were trained to perform symbolic delayed matchin g-to-sample at a 0-sec delay with sample stimuli that consisted of seq uences of light flashes. The sequences varied in number but not time f or one group (number group) and in time but not number for the other g roup (time group). When retention was tested at delays up to 10 sec in Experiment 1, a choose-small effect was found in the number group, an d a choose-long effect was found in the time group. Transfer tests bet ween number and time samples in Experiment 2 supported the hypothesis that pigeons were discriminating between the number of Light flashes a t the end of sample sequences in Experiment 1. It was concluded that p igeons in both the number and the time groups were discriminating betw een number of flashes and that the apparent choose-long effect was act ually a choose-small effect. The implications of these findings for th e mode-control model of counting and timing (Meek and Church, 1983) we re discussed.