Pigeons and the Ambiguous-Cue Problem: A Riddle that Remains Unsolved
| Autor: | Óscar García-Leal, Carlos Esparza, Laurent Ávila Chauvet, Héctor O. Camarena-Pérez, Zirahuén Vílchez |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Frontiers in Psychology, Vol 8 (2017) |
| Druh dokumentu: | article |
| ISSN: | 1664-1078 99352400 |
| DOI: | 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00941 |
| Popis: | The ambiguous-cue task is composed of two-choice simultaneous discriminations involving three stimuli: positive (P), ambiguous (A), and negative (N). Two different trial types are presented: PA and NA. The ambiguous cue (A) served as an S- in PA trials, but as an S+ in NA trials. When using this procedure, it is typical to observe a less accurate performance in PA trials than in NA trials. This is called the ambiguous-cue effect. Recently, it was reported in starlings that the ambiguous-cue effect decreases when the stimuli are presented on an angled (120°) panel. The hypothesis is that the angled panel facilitates that the two cues from each discrimination are perceived as a compound, precluding value transfer via a second-order conditioning mechanism. In this experiment, we used pigeons and a flat panel. Nevertheless, our data were quite similar to the previous data in starlings. We conclude that the form of the panel cannot explain the ambiguous-cue effect. Several alternatives to be explored in future experiments are suggested. The riddle of the ambiguous-cue problem still remains unsolved. |
| Databáze: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
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