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The development of emergent differential sample behavior in pigeons
Peter J Urcuioli1, Jada N Pierce, Karen M Lionello-DeNolf
1Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1364, USA. uche@psych.purdue.edu
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|January 1, 2003
Summary
Researchers explored emergent behavior in pigeons, finding that differential sample responding emerged when specific reinforcement schedules were used. This provides a pigeon model for studying complex learned behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Animal Behavior
- Behavioral Psychology
- Learning and Conditioning
Background:
- Manabe, Kawashima, and Staddon (1995) reported emergent differential sample behavior in budgerigars, suggesting functional equivalence class formation.
- Replicating emergent phenomena in animal behavior is crucial for understanding learning processes.
- Pigeons are a well-established model organism for studying operant conditioning and choice behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To replicate the budgerigar emergent calling paradigm in pigeons.
- To investigate the conditions under which emergent differential sample behavior occurs.
- To examine the role of equivalence-based and non-equivalence-based processes in emergent behavior.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments using pigeons trained on two-sample/two-alternative matching-to-sample tasks.
- Manipulation of reinforcement schedules (differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate and fixed-ratio) and sample presentation.
- Introduction of novel samples to assess emergent responding patterns.
Main Results:
- Experiment 1 showed no emergent differential responding to new samples.
- Experiment 2 demonstrated emergent differential responding in some pigeons, but this effect diminished with continued training.
- Experiment 3, using differential peck location, showed robust emergent differential responding that persisted throughout training.
Conclusions:
- Differential peck location in pigeons serves as a viable analogue to the budgerigar emergent calling paradigm.
- The findings highlight the importance of specific training procedures in establishing emergent behaviors.
- The results contribute to understanding the mechanisms underlying functional equivalence and complex learned behaviors.
