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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

A Method for Investigating Change Blindness in Pigeons Columba Livia
Published on: September 7, 2018
Within-session discrimination between times of reinforcers in the minutes range by pigeons
1University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
This experiment tested whether pigeons could discriminate between a large reinforcer delivered at 6 min (early) vs. 16 min (late) within a 20 min session. A within subject design was used in which an early reinforcer was delivered in one context, and a late reinforcer in another. Rate of responding on the first link of a chain schedule was higher in the early reinforcer condition. Furthermore, in probe sessions during which no large reinforcer was delivered, the discrimination was maintained. Implications for foraging are discussed.
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