ERIC Number: EJ988429
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Nov
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-5002
EISSN: N/A
A Replication and Extension of the Antisymmetry Effect in Pigeons
Urcuioli, Peter J.; Swisher, Melissa
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, v98 n3 p283-293 Nov 2012
Pigeons trained on successive AB symbolic matching show emergent BA antisymmetry if they are also trained on successive AA oddity and BB identity (Urcuioli, 2008, Experiment 4). In other words, when tested on BA probe trials following training, they respond more to the comparisons on the reverse of the nonreinforced AB baseline trials than on the reverse of the reinforced AB baseline trials (the opposite of an associative symmetry pattern). The present experiment replicated this finding. In addition, it showed that antisymmetry also emerged after baseline training on successive AB symbolic matching, AA identity, and BB oddity, consistent with the prediction from Urcuioli's (2008) theory of pigeons' stimulus-class formation. Together, these results provided further empirical support for that theory including the proposition that the functional stimuli in pigeons' successive matching consist of the nominal stimuli plus their ordinal positions within a trial. (Contains 1 table and 8 figures.)
Descriptors: Animals, Animal Behavior, Experiments, Stimuli, Reinforcement, Reaction Time, Intervals, Predictor Variables
Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Available from: Indiana University Department of Psychology. Bloomington, IN 47405. Tel: 812-334-0395; Fax: 812-855-4691; e-mail: jeab@indiana.edu; Web site: http://seab.envmed.rochester.edu/jeab/index.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A