Effects of variable durations of food availability on interval time-place learning with pigeons Columba Livia

We assessed the effects of variable durations of food availability on an interval time-place learning task. 3 pigeons were exposed to a task in which food could be obtained for responses in one of four feeders according to an RI 25 s during 3 min, after which, food could be obtained on a different feeder according to the same schedule. The correct feeder changed following a fixed sequence that was repeated four times throughout the session. After 50 training sessions, an Open Hopper Test was conducted, after which, the second training condition ensued. This condition was like the first one with the exception that the availability period could be either 1,2,3, or 6 min long. A second test was conducted after 50 sessions of this training. Another group of 3 birds experienced these conditions in the reverse order. Data suggest that birds solved the task via interval timing under the fixed duration condition, and via ordinal timing when faced with variable durations. Birds learned the fixed sequence involved in the task under both conditions. Although the present data agree with previous research exploring variability in TPL tasks, they do not necessarily support previous claims for an asymmetrical role of spatial and temporal information in these tasks.