Successive spatial discrimination reversals in the prairie dog

Six prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) were given reversal training on a spatial discrimination reversal task in a Wisconsin General Test Apparatus (WGTA). As with many other species, more errors occurred on the first reversal problem than during acquisition of the original discrimination. However, performance improved over training until each S eventually reversed after a single nonreinforced error. Initial findings indicate that prairie dogs perform at high levels in discrimination learning experiments and could be valuable subjects for psychological research.