The discrimination of structure: III. Representation of spatial relationships.
Pigeons received a discrimination in which the spatial relationship between 2 adjacent rectangles filled with different colors signaled the trial outcome. Test trials then involved the same rectangles separated horizontally by a gap. The tests in Experiment 1 disrupted the discrimination more when the rectangles were tall and thin than when they were short and wide. Experiment 2 revealed that the width of the rectangles rather than their height determined the extent to which separating them would disrupt the original discrimination. The results are explained in terms of a template-matching account of pattern recognition with the additional assumption, supported by Experiment 3, that the size of a template can be altered to improve its match with a test pattern.
Haselgrove
Mark
M
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
George
David N
DN
Pearce
John M
JM
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010856:Columbidae; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005364:Field Dependence-Independence; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014163:Transfer, Psychology