Visual search for natural grains in pigeons (Columba livia): search images and selective attention.
The experiments reported here were designed to test the suggestion of many researchers that selective attention to visual features of a prey can account for search-image effects. In 3 experiments pigeons ate wheat and vetch grains presented on multicolored and gray gravel trays. In Experiment 1 search-image effects were evident when grains were cryptic but not when they were conspicuous. Experiment 2 demonstrated that search images can be activated when the grains encountered are either cryptic or conspicuous but that search images affect search performance only when the grains are cryptic. Experiment 3 demonstrated that search images are short-term in nature: A 3-min delay between successive encounters with a type of grain disrupted an activated search image. The discussion addresses how these results further develop a model in which search images are viewed as selective attention to visual features of a prey.
Langley
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CM
Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley. clangley@ucs.indiana.educ
Riley
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DA
Bond
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AB
Goel
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N
D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D010856:Columbidae; D008954:Models, Biological; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*