Transitive Inference and Commonly Coded Stimuli

This experiment examined whether stimuli that were commonly coded through association with similar outcomes would be treated differently when used in a transitive inference (TI) task than stimuli not commonly coded. A TI task was used in which stimuli were presented to pigeons as pairs (A+B-, B+C-, C+D-, D+E-), and a single pair of stimuli was presented as a test (BD). Pigeons were assigned to four groups in which stimuli were associated with one another along the linear array. For the Within Common Coding Group, the outcomes were arranged so that B and D both received the same outcome (when positive in their respective pairs). For the Between Common Coding Group, the outcomes were arranged so that B and D received different outcomes. Random outcomes were assigned to stimuli in the Control Group. Results indicate that the stimuli did not become commonly coded and the manipulations may not have worked.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2005

Author dc:creator

• Suits, William T.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Janice H. Kennedy
• John D. Murray

• ETD
• Pigeons
• Transitive inference
• Common coding
• Animal intelligence

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/422

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1422