Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

"Supernormality" in a learning situation.

J A Hogan, J P Kruijt, J H Frijlink

Zeitschrift Fur Tierpsychologie

|September 1, 1975

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Do young guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) develop an attachment to inanimate objects?

Behavioural processes·2014

Same author

Structure and development of behavior systems.

Psychonomic bulletin & review·2013

Same author

Composting on Mars or the Moon: I. Comparative evaluation of process design alternatives.

Life support & biosphere science : international journal of earth space·2001

Same author

Composting on Mars or the Moon: II. Temperature feedback control with top-wise introduction of waste material and air.

Life support & biosphere science : international journal of earth space·2001

Same author

Biological removal of gaseous ammonia in biofilters: space travel and earth-based applications.

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995)·2000

Same author

Development of dustbathing behavior sequences in the domestic fowl: the significance of functional experience.

Developmental psychobiology·2000

Same journal

The socio-sexual behavior of Japanese monkeys.

Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie·1982

Same journal

Comparative ontogeny of behaviour in four species of squirrels (Sciuridae).

Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie·1981

Same journal

Seasonal changes in the behavior and plasma titers of various hormones in barheaded geese, Anser indicus.

Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie·1981

Same journal

Consequences of premature weaning on the reproduction of mothers and offspring in laboratory mice.

Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie·1981

Same journal

How heritable is innate behaviour?

Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie·1981

Same journal

Some behavioural changes associated with the guinea-pig oestrous cycle.

Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie·1981

See all related articles

Pigeons trained to discriminate stimuli showed a "peak shift" in responding after extinction training. This phenomenon, where responses shift away from a previously rewarded stimulus, is comparable to "supernormality" in gull behavior.

Area of Science:

Behavioral psychology
Animal cognition

Background:

Pigeons were trained to peck at a 37-spot stimulus for food.
Extinction training was administered to a 21-spot stimulus for two pigeons and a plain white stimulus for the other two.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate stimulus generalization and peak shift in pigeons.
To compare peak shift in pigeons with supernormality in gulls.

Main Methods:

Pigeons underwent operant conditioning with a 37-spot stimulus.
Differential extinction was applied using 21-spot and plain white stimuli.
Generalization tests were conducted using stimuli with varying numbers of spots.

Main Results:

Pigeons extinguished on the 21-spot stimulus showed increased responding to 52- and 69-spot stimuli.

Related Experiment Videos

This demonstrates a peak shift, where the generalization gradient shifts away from the extinguished stimulus.

Conclusions:

The observed peak shift in pigeons is functionally similar to supernormality in gull egg-retrieval.
The study discusses and compares potential causes for these behavioral phenomena.