title: Effect of training delays and start and stop markers on the choose-short effect in pigeons.
abstract: Pigeons were trained in a matching-to-duration task using short and long filled intervals. Group 2/8 was trained with 2- and 8-s intervals, Group 4/10 with 4- and 10-s intervals, and group marker with 2- and 8-s intervals presented between 1-s start and stop markers. Extended-delay testing showed no significant choose-short effect (CSE) in any group. It was hypothesized that the lack of a CSE may have resulted from use of a variable delay (range 1-3s) during training. The same subjects were employed in Experiment 2 and were trained with a new set of comparisons and one of the alternate types of samples employed in Experiment 1. All training trials involved a 0-s delay. Extended-delay testing revealed a significant CSE in Groups 2/8 and 4/10 but only a weak, and statistically nonsignificant, CSE in group marker. It was concluded that use of a variable delay during training reduced the CSE. The notion that subjective shortening underlies the CSE provided an adequate account of these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta., Canada T6G 2E9.
authors.forename: Diane C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Talarico
authors.forename: Douglas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D010856:Columbidae; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D013998:Time Perception / Q000502:physiology*