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

Related Concept Videos

Odds Ratio

Odds Ratio

The odds ratio (OR) is a statistical measure used extensively in epidemiology and research to quantify the strength of association between exposure and outcome across different groups. Unlike relative risk, which compares the probabilities of an event occurring, the odds ratio compares the odds of an event occurring in the exposed group to the odds of it occurring in the unexposed group. The odds, in this context, are calculated as the probability of the event happening divided by the...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

In memoriam: D. Alan Stubbs, 1940-2014.

Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2015

Same author

Interactions of numerical and temporal stimulus characteristics on the control of response location by brief flashes of light.

Learning & behavior·2011

Same author

Categorical counting.

Behavioural processes·2010

Same author

Prospective and retrospective timing by pigeons.

Learning & behavior·2010

Same author

Watching the clock.

Behavioural processes·2009

Same author

The development of emergent differential sample behavior in pigeons.

Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior·2003

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Published on: June 2, 2014

Duration ratio discrimination in pigeons: a criterion-setting analysis.

J Gregor Fetterman¹

¹Department of Psychology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), 402 N. Blackford St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. gfetter@iupui.edu

Behavioural Processes

|December 14, 2005

Summary

Pigeons can flexibly discriminate duration ratios, unlike humans. This study shows pigeons adjust their decision-making based on temporal cues, demonstrating adaptability in ratio discrimination.

More Related Videos

An Operant Intra-/Extra-dimensional Set-shift Task for Mice

An Operant Intra-/Extra-dimensional Set-shift Task for Mice

Published on: January 22, 2016

A Method for Investigating Change Blindness in Pigeons (Columba Livia)

A Method for Investigating Change Blindness in Pigeons (Columba Livia)

Published on: September 7, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning

Published on: June 2, 2014

An Operant Intra-/Extra-dimensional Set-shift Task for Mice

An Operant Intra-/Extra-dimensional Set-shift Task for Mice

Published on: January 22, 2016

A Method for Investigating Change Blindness in Pigeons (Columba Livia)

A Method for Investigating Change Blindness in Pigeons (Columba Livia)

Published on: September 7, 2018

Area of Science:

Behavioral neuroscience
Animal cognition
Comparative psychology

Background:

Pigeons (Columba livia) are widely used models for studying cognitive processes.
Discrimination of temporal sequences is crucial for many behaviors.
Understanding the flexibility of ratio discrimination in non-human animals offers insights into cognitive mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate pigeons' ability to discriminate between different temporal duration ratios.
To examine how the distribution of time ratios affects choice behavior and response bias.
To compare the flexibility of pigeons' duration ratio discrimination with that of humans.

Main Methods:

Pigeons were trained on a three-key array, presented with color sequences of varying durations.
Choices were reinforced based on whether the temporal ratio of the sequence met specific criteria (1:1, 1.5:1, 3:1).
The distribution of time ratios was manipulated to be balanced or unbalanced relative to the criterion.

Main Results:

Pigeon accuracy in discriminating duration ratios was consistent across different criterion ratios.
Response bias was influenced by unbalanced distributions of time ratios in the 1:1 and 3:1 conditions.
Controlling for temporal ratio asymmetries reduced or eliminated response biases.

Conclusions:

Pigeons demonstrate flexibility in establishing criteria for discriminating duration ratios.
This flexibility contrasts with human limitations in duration ratio discrimination, which are often bound by categorical perception.
The findings highlight pigeons' adaptive cognitive strategies in processing temporal information.