Pigeon memory: same/different concept learning, serial probe recognition acquisition, and probe delay effects on the serial-position function.
Two pigeons were trained with sets of 70 pairs of color-slide stimuli in a same/different task to perform at least 88% correct; six different sets were used in successive acquisitions. The subjects transferred same/different performance to novel stimuli with 60% accuracy following their six acquisitions; further training and daily changes in the training stimuli revealed 71% transfer to novel stimuli. Four pigeons were trained (88% criterion) in a serial-probe-recognition task with three list items, and the list length was increased with successive acquisitions to four, five, and six list items. Their serial-position functions changed for different delays between the last list item and the test item revealing a recency effect (last items remembered well) for 0-s delay, recency and primacy effects (first items remembered well) for 1- and 2-s delays, and only a primacy effect for a 10-s delay. These results are discussed in relation to human memory performance and theories of memory processing generally.
D000818:Animals; D010856:Columbidae; D003210:Concept Formation; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D012691:Serial Learning; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014796:Visual Perception