The Perception of Linear Gestalten by Rat and Monkey: Sensory Sensitivity or the Perception of Structure?

Perception ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan O McGonigle ◽  
Barry T Jones
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Training ◽  
Squirrel Monkeys ◽  
Successive Discrimination ◽  
Continuous Line ◽  
Sensory Sensitivity

Four experiments on rats and squirrel monkeys are reported which show that the well-known transposition by animals to continuous from broken or interrupted line stimuli, first reported by Krechevsky, is attributable to their failure to transfer from simultaneous to successive discrimination of dot patterns. When given appropriate successive discrimination training, however, monkeys reverse their original preference and select dot instead of continuous line stimuli.

An Experiment on Shape Discrimination and Signal Detection in Octopus

1970 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. A. Muntz
Keyword(s):  
Signal Detection ◽  
Discrimination Training ◽  
Roc Curve ◽  
Signal Detection Theory ◽  
Successive Discrimination ◽  
General Level ◽  
Original Training ◽  
Shape Discrimination ◽  
A Value ◽  
Vertical Bars

Ten octopuses were trained to perform a successive discrimination between the two shapes shown in Figure I (a). After 7 days of training, when performance was significantly above chance, transfer tests were given with other shapes that were either rotations or parts of the original training shapes. At least six theories have been put forward to explain shape discrimination in the octopus, but none of these are capable of explaining the present results. The transfer tests suggest that the discrimination was performed in terms of component parts of the shapes (vertical bars projecting upwards or downwards), and their relationship to the shape as a whole (terminal or central). During successive discrimination training the general level of attack varies between animals, and fluctuates from day to day. As a result there are often more attacks on both the positive and negative shapes on some occasions than others, making it difficult to compare the levels of discrimination achieved. It is suggested that the concepts of signal detection theory can help overcome this difficulty. Attacks on the positive shape (“hits”) plotted against attacks on the negative shape (“false positives”) constitute an ROC curve from which a value of d′, independant of the general level of attack, can be obtained.

Colour versus quantity as cues in reverse-reward-competent squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

2009 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 673-680
Author(s):  
James R. Anderson ◽  
Shunji Awazu ◽  
Kazuo Fujita
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Discrimination Training ◽  
Differential Reinforcement ◽  
Squirrel Monkeys ◽  
The Other ◽  
Saimiri Sciureus ◽  
Colour Discrimination ◽  
Reward Contingency ◽  
Relative Salience ◽  
Good Retention

To assess the relative salience of colour and quantity cues, squirrel monkeys previously trained to reach for the smaller of two quantities of food in a reverse-reward contingency task received colour discrimination training. After initial failure to discriminate between two colours of dots under a differential reinforcement regime, they learned the task when the S− colour was associated with zero reward. The monkeys then showed good retention on the original reverse-reward task of 1 versus 4 with pairs of dots presented in S+ or S− colours. However, on “mismatch” trials of 1S− versus 4S+, only 2 of 4 monkeys tested showed a preference—1 monkey chose based on quantity, the other based on colour. Individual differences and the possible roles of overshadowing and blocking are discussed.

Successive Discrimination Reversal Performance of Mammalian Species on a Brightness Task

1968 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 675-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Gossette ◽  
Gayle Kraus
Keyword(s):  
Task Analysis ◽  
Negative Transfer ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Spatial Task ◽  
Squirrel Monkeys ◽  
Successive Discrimination ◽  
Discrimination Reversal ◽  
Species Variation ◽  
Reversal Task ◽  
Reversal Performance

To examine the generality of inter-species SDR performance differences previously revealed on a spatial task, four different mammalian species were tested on a brightness successive discrimination reversal task. Analysis showed that the patterns of errors yielded on the spatial task were reproduced on the brightness task, except that on the brightness task, cacomistle performance was inferior to that by squirrel monkeys. Further evidence supporting the differential extinction explanation of inter-species variation in negative transfer was also found.

Learning Set in Squirrel Monkeys as Affected by Pretraining with Differentially Rewarded Single Objects

1965 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duane M. Rumbaugh ◽  
Marjorie E. Sammons ◽  
Merle M. Prim ◽  
Sherry Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Phase I ◽  
Discrimination Training ◽  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Phase Ii ◽  
Squirrel Monkeys ◽  
The Other ◽  
Reward Rate ◽  
Learning Set

The possibility of developing discrimination learning set (LS) by some method other than discrimination training was investigated. In Phase I, 3 groups were given LS pretraining with single objects. Two groups were presented 500 objects, each for 6 trials; one group was rewarded at a 50% random rate, the other at a 100% rate. A third group encountered one object throughout Phase I with all trials rewarded. Their Phase II LS performances were compared with an LS control condition. No pretraining group exhibited LS at the beginning of Phase II. The pretraining group having a 50% random reward rate was significantly suppressed in developing LS. Thus, (a) LS in squirrel monkeys is dependent upon the processes of discrimination learning; (b) the rate at which LS is formed may involve expectancies concerning probable reward rate.

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