A procedural analogue of prey detection and applied signal detection

Researchers have employed a variety of laboratory analogues of cryptic prey detection and applied signal detection to study factors influencing learning and performance in these ethological and applied scenarios. However, these procedural analogues do not appear to map closely onto their "real-world" counterparts, particularly with respect to the role of the "yes" (i.e., "attack") response and the payoff for this response (or its absence) on signal-present and signal-absent trials. Using domestic hens, we developed a procedural analogue in which a "yes" response requires some time to emit; such responses were reinforced only in the presence of a signal. In Experiment 1, we evaluated the influence of the "yes" response requirement by manipulating the number of responses required to qualify as a "yes" response. As the "yes" response requirement was increased, bias toward responding "no" increased, revealing that this is a critical factor controlling accuracy in this procedure. In Experiment 2, we evaluated the influence of signal probability and reinforcement rate on signal detection accuracy and found that neither of these factors significantly influenced accuracy or bias. These findings suggest that this procedural analogue may represent a valuable alternative for studying behaviour in relevant signal detection scenarios.