Variations in intensity and frequency moderate the facilitative effects of a complex rhythm stimulus on long-term memory consolidation in the day-old chick (Callus gallus).
The authors have previously shown that exposure to 1 min of a complex, but not an isochronous, rhythm stimulus facilitates long-term memory consolidation in chicks (Gallus gallus) trained on a passive-avoidance task (S. R. Toukhsati & N. S. Rickard, 2001). The acoustic parameters of this stimulus were explored further in the current study. Retention was found to be best facilitated when the complex rhythm stimulus was presented at intensities between 5 and 15 dBA above background laboratory noise levels and at a frequency of 1 kHz. Removal of an accent from the stimulus did not moderate the effect. These findings provide confirmation that memory in an avian species can be facilitated by exposure to a complex rhythm stimulus and suggest that pattern repetition may be an important feature of this effect.
Psychology Department, Monash University, Caulfield East, VIC, Australia.
S R
SR
Toukhsati
N S
NS
Rickard
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D008568:Memory; D010507:Periodicity; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012932:Social Facilitation