Amodal completion of moving objects by pigeons.
In a series of four experiments, we explored whether pigeons complete partially occluded moving shapes. Four pigeons were trained to discriminate between a complete moving shape and an incomplete moving shape in a two-alternative forced-choice task. In testing, the birds were presented with a partially occluded moving shape. In experiment 1, none of the pigeons appeared to complete the testing stimulus; instead, they appeared to perceive the testing stimulus as incomplete fragments. However, in experiments 2, 3, and 4, three of the birds appeared to complete the partially occluded moving shapes. These rare positive results suggest that motion may facilitate amodal completion by pigeons, perhaps by enhancing the figure - ground segregation process.
Nagasaka
Yasuo
Y
Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1407, USA. nyasuo@brain.riken.jp
Wasserman
Edward A
EA
D000818:Animals; D010856:Columbidae / Q000502:physiology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010466:Perceptual Closure