Limits of symmetry conceptualization in pigeons

Citation
L. Huber et al., Limits of symmetry conceptualization in pigeons, Q J EXP P-B, 52(4), 1999, pp. 351-379
Citations number
54
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology,"Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY SECTION B-COMPARATIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
ISSN journal
02724995 → ACNP
Volume
52
Issue
4
Year of publication
1999
Pages
351 - 379
Database
ISI
SICI code
0272-4995(199911)52:4<351:LOSCIP>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
Three experiments investigated the discrimination of artificial patterns on the basis of an underlying symmetry rule by pigeons. In Experiment 1, two groups were trained to discriminate between different types of bilaterally symmetric and asymmetric "chequerboard" patterns. In the second experiment, we tested the ability of pigeons to generalize to novel patterns. Successf ul transfer was confined to patterns similar to those used for training in Experiment 1. Experiment 3 was designed to investigate the positive results obtained by Delius and Nowak (1982). Naive pigeons were trained on tasks e ither involving copies of their training patterns, or employing their train ing procedure, or both. The behaviour of these pigeons was similar to that found in Experiments 1 and 2 but different from that obtained by Delius and Nowak (1982). The results of these experiments indicate that the use of sy mmetry as an abstract concept: (a) depends on the type of stimuli used, and (b) is not an easy task for pigeons.