Limited contextual vocal learning in the grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus): The effect of interactive co-viewers on videotaped instruction

Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) do not acquire referential English label s when tutored with videotapes (a) in social isolation (I. M. Pepperberg, 1 994); (b) when reward for an attempted label is possible (I. M. Pepperberg, J. R. Naughton, & P.A. Banta, 1998); or (c) when trainers direct birds' at tention to the video monitor (I. M. Pepperberg et al,, 1998). To test wheth er more participatory training and variety might facilitate learning from v ideotapes, during video viewing a single trainer repeated the targeted labe ls, asked questions, and rewarded attempts at the label with the object; li ve video input was also used. Subjects also received live tutoring from a p air of interactive trainers on a different set of object labels. Birds lear ned referential labels from live tutor pairs but not from video. Specific a spects of live tutoring appear critical for the acquisition of referential English labels.