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THE ROLE OF DISTINGUISHING FEATUHES
IN DISCHIMINATION LEARNING
THE ROLE OF DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
IN DISCRIHINATION LEARNING middot
by
Robert Stephen Sainsbury HA
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial ulfilment of the Requirements
for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy
McMaster University May 1969
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (1969) HcHaster University (Psychology)
TITLE The Role of Distinguishing Features in Discrimination Learning
AUTHOR Robert Stephen Sainsbury BA (Mount Allison University) HA (Dalhousie University)
SUPERVISOR Dr H M Jenkins
NUMBER OF PAGES vii 209
SCOPE AND CONmiddotrENTS
When pigeons are required to discriminate between two displays which may only be differentiated by a distinctive feature on one of the two displays subjects trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display learn the successive discrimination while subjects trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display do not The simultaneous discrimination theory of this feature-positive effect makes a number of explicit predictions about the behaviour of the feature positive and feature neeative subjects The present experiments were designed to test these predictions Experiment I tested the prediction of localization on the distinctive feature by feature positive subjects while Experiment II tested the prediction of avoidance of the distinctive feature by feature negative subjects Experiment III attempted to reduce the feature-positive effect by presenting compact displays
The results of these three experiments supported the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature positive effect
( ii)
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to
Professor H H Jenkins for his advice criticism and encouragement
throughout all stages of this research
The author is also indebted to Hr Cy Dixon and Hr Jan
Licis for their invaluable assistance in building the apparatus
used in these experiments
(iii)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE 1 Introduction
CHAPTER TWO 23 Experiment I
CHAPTER THREE 42 Experiment II
CHAPTER FOUR 73 Experiment III
CHAPTER FIVE 120 Discussion
Appendix A 140
Appendix B 142
Appendix C 162
Appendix D Appendix E 203
(iv)
FIGURES
Fig 1 Symmetrical and asymmetrical pairs of displays 9
Fig 2 Logic diagrams for syrJmetrical and asymmetrical pairs 4 bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 12
Fig 3 Tree diagram of the simultaneous discrimination theory bull bull 17
Fig 4 Hedian Ratio of responses made by feature positive and feature negative subjects in Experiment I bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 29
Fig 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 32
Fig 6 Records of peck location during differential training for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 34
Fig 7 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the negative trial 37
Fig 8 Records of peck location for two subjects trained with the dot on the negative trial 39
Fig 9 Two pairs of displays used in bxperiment II 48
FiglO Median discrimination indices for group trained with circle as distL~ctive feature on positive trial 52
Figll Median discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on positive trial 54
Figl2 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials for subject B-66 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 58
Figl3 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials by subject B-68 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 60
Figl4 lfedian discrimination indices for groups trained with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial 64
Figl5 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on negative trial 66
(v)
Fig 16 Extinction test results for each of the four groups of Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 69
Fig 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbull 78
Fig 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the red circle as the distinctive feature on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbull 89
Fig 19 I1edian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature on the positive tlial bullbullbullbullbullbull 91
Fig 20 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with red circlemiddot as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 94
Fig 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 96
Fig 22 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial 99
Fig 23 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups traDled with the distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 102
Fig 24 ExtDlction test results for each of the four troups trained on distributed displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 107
Fig 25 Extinction test results for each of the four groups trained on compact displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 109
(vi)
TABLES
Table 1 Experimental design used in Experiment III 82
Table 2 Hean successive discrimination indices on the last session of training for all eight groups in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 83
Table 3 Analysis of variance for the last session of training in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 85
Table 4 Proportion of responses on poundi displays made to red circle during pre-differential training bullbull 86
Table 5 Proportion of total responses made to each stimulus within a display bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 192
Table 6 Proportion of total responses made to the positive display during each session by individual subjects bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 194
Table 7 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 206
Table 8 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 208
Table 9 Comparison of position preference and tho proportion of responses made to each type of c d trial 210
(vii)
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
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Blough D S Animal psychophysics Scient Amer 1961 205
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Murphy J V and Miller R E Effect of the spatial relationship
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learning J exp Psychol 1958 2sect 26-31
Pavlov I P Conditioned Reflexes London Oxford University
Press 1927
138
Restle F The selection of strategies in cue learning Psychol
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Restle F A theory of discrimination learning Psychol Rev
1955 62 ll-19
Sainsbury R S and Jenkins H M Feature-positive effect in
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Schuck J R Pattern discrimination and visual sampling by the
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Schuck J bullR Polidora V J McConnell D G and Meyer D R
Response location as a factor in primate pattern discrimination
J comp physiol Psychol 1961 ~ 543-545
Skinner B F Stimulus generalization in an operant A historical
note In D Hostofsky (Editor) Stimulus Generalization
Stanford University Press 1965
Stollnitz F Spatial variables observing responses and discrimination
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Stollnitz F and Schrier A M Discrimination learning by monkeys
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Sutherland N S Stimulus analyzing mechanisms In Proceedings
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Vol II London Her Majestys Stationery Office 575-609
1959
139
Sutherland N S The learning-of discrimination by animals
Endeavour 1964 23 146-152
Terrace H S Discrimination learning and inhibition Science
1966 154 1677~1680
Trabasso R and Bower G H Attention in learnin~ New York
Wiley 1968
Wagner A R Logan F A Haberlandt K and Price T Stimulus
selection in animal discrimination learning J exp Psycho
1968 Zsect 171-180
Wyckoff L B The role of observing responses in discrimination
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Zeaman D and House B J The role of attention in retarded
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140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0
THE ROLE OF DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
IN DISCRIHINATION LEARNING middot
by
Robert Stephen Sainsbury HA
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial ulfilment of the Requirements
for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy
McMaster University May 1969
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (1969) HcHaster University (Psychology)
TITLE The Role of Distinguishing Features in Discrimination Learning
AUTHOR Robert Stephen Sainsbury BA (Mount Allison University) HA (Dalhousie University)
SUPERVISOR Dr H M Jenkins
NUMBER OF PAGES vii 209
SCOPE AND CONmiddotrENTS
When pigeons are required to discriminate between two displays which may only be differentiated by a distinctive feature on one of the two displays subjects trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display learn the successive discrimination while subjects trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display do not The simultaneous discrimination theory of this feature-positive effect makes a number of explicit predictions about the behaviour of the feature positive and feature neeative subjects The present experiments were designed to test these predictions Experiment I tested the prediction of localization on the distinctive feature by feature positive subjects while Experiment II tested the prediction of avoidance of the distinctive feature by feature negative subjects Experiment III attempted to reduce the feature-positive effect by presenting compact displays
The results of these three experiments supported the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature positive effect
( ii)
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to
Professor H H Jenkins for his advice criticism and encouragement
throughout all stages of this research
The author is also indebted to Hr Cy Dixon and Hr Jan
Licis for their invaluable assistance in building the apparatus
used in these experiments
(iii)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE 1 Introduction
CHAPTER TWO 23 Experiment I
CHAPTER THREE 42 Experiment II
CHAPTER FOUR 73 Experiment III
CHAPTER FIVE 120 Discussion
Appendix A 140
Appendix B 142
Appendix C 162
Appendix D Appendix E 203
(iv)
FIGURES
Fig 1 Symmetrical and asymmetrical pairs of displays 9
Fig 2 Logic diagrams for syrJmetrical and asymmetrical pairs 4 bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 12
Fig 3 Tree diagram of the simultaneous discrimination theory bull bull 17
Fig 4 Hedian Ratio of responses made by feature positive and feature negative subjects in Experiment I bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 29
Fig 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 32
Fig 6 Records of peck location during differential training for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 34
Fig 7 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the negative trial 37
Fig 8 Records of peck location for two subjects trained with the dot on the negative trial 39
Fig 9 Two pairs of displays used in bxperiment II 48
FiglO Median discrimination indices for group trained with circle as distL~ctive feature on positive trial 52
Figll Median discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on positive trial 54
Figl2 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials for subject B-66 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 58
Figl3 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials by subject B-68 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 60
Figl4 lfedian discrimination indices for groups trained with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial 64
Figl5 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on negative trial 66
(v)
Fig 16 Extinction test results for each of the four groups of Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 69
Fig 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbull 78
Fig 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the red circle as the distinctive feature on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbull 89
Fig 19 I1edian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature on the positive tlial bullbullbullbullbullbull 91
Fig 20 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with red circlemiddot as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 94
Fig 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 96
Fig 22 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial 99
Fig 23 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups traDled with the distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 102
Fig 24 ExtDlction test results for each of the four troups trained on distributed displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 107
Fig 25 Extinction test results for each of the four groups trained on compact displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 109
(vi)
TABLES
Table 1 Experimental design used in Experiment III 82
Table 2 Hean successive discrimination indices on the last session of training for all eight groups in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 83
Table 3 Analysis of variance for the last session of training in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 85
Table 4 Proportion of responses on poundi displays made to red circle during pre-differential training bullbull 86
Table 5 Proportion of total responses made to each stimulus within a display bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 192
Table 6 Proportion of total responses made to the positive display during each session by individual subjects bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 194
Table 7 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 206
Table 8 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 208
Table 9 Comparison of position preference and tho proportion of responses made to each type of c d trial 210
(vii)
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
References
Atkinson R C The observing response in discrimination learning
J exp Psychol 1961 62 253-262
Atkinson R C and Estes W K Stimulus sampling theory In
R Luce R Bush and E Galanter (Editors) Handbook of
mathematical psychology Vol 2 New York Wiley 1963
Blough D S Animal psychophysics Scient Amer 1961 205
113-122
Brown P L and Jenkins H M Auto-shaping of the pigeons keyshy
peck J exp Anal Behav 1968 11 l-8
Bush R R and Mosteller R A A model for stimulus generalization
and discrimination Psychol Rev 1951 ~~ 413-423
Dember W N The psychology of perception New York Holt
Rinehart and Winston 1960
Estes W K Component and pattern models with Markovian interpretations
In R R Bush and W K Estes (Editors) Studies in mathematical
learning theory Stanford Calif Stanford Univ Press
1959 9-53
Ferster C B and Skinner B P Schedules of Reinforcement New
York Appleton-Century-Crofts 1957
Honig W K Prediction of preference transportation and transshy
portation-reversal from the generalization gradient J
exp Psychol 1962 64 239-248
137
Honig W K Boneau C A Burnstein K R and Pennypacker H S
Positive and negative generalization gradients obtained after
equivalent training conditions J comp physiol Psychol
1963 2sect 111-116
Jenkins H Measurement of stimulus control during discriminative
operant conditioning Psychol Bull 196~ 64 365-376
Jenkins H and Sainsbury R Discrimination learning with the
distinctive feature on positive and negative trials
Technical Report No 4 Department of Psychology McMaster
University 1967
Lovejoy E P Analysis of the overlearning reversal effect
Psychol Rev 1966 73 87-103
Lovejoy E P An attention theory of discrimination learning J
math Psychol 1965 ~ 342-362
Miller R E and Murphy J V Influence of the spatial relationshy
ships between the cue reward and response in discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1964 67 120-123
Murphy J V and Miller R E The effect of spatial contiguity
of cue and reward in the object-quality learning of rhesus
monkeys J comp physiol Psychol 1955 48 221-224
Murphy J V and Miller R E Effect of the spatial relationship
between cue reward and response in simple discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1958 2sect 26-31
Pavlov I P Conditioned Reflexes London Oxford University
Press 1927
138
Restle F The selection of strategies in cue learning Psychol
Rev 1962 69 329-343
Restle F A theory of discrimination learning Psychol Rev
1955 62 ll-19
Sainsbury R S and Jenkins H M Feature-positive effect in
discrimination learning Proceedings 75th Annual
Convention APA 1967 17-18
Schuck J R Pattern discrimination and visual sampling by the
monkey J comp physiol Psychol 1960 22 251-255
Schuck J bullR Polidora V J McConnell D G and Meyer D R
Response location as a factor in primate pattern discrimination
J comp physiol Psychol 1961 ~ 543-545
Skinner B F Stimulus generalization in an operant A historical
note In D Hostofsky (Editor) Stimulus Generalization
Stanford University Press 1965
Stollnitz F Spatial variables observing responses and discrimination
learning sets Psychol Rev 1965 72 247-261
Stollnitz F and Schrier A M Discrimination learning by monkeys
with spatial separation of cue and response J comp physiol
Psychol 1962 22 876-881
Sutherland N S Stimulus analyzing mechanisms In Proceedings
or the symposium on the mechanization of thought processes
Vol II London Her Majestys Stationery Office 575-609
1959
139
Sutherland N S The learning-of discrimination by animals
Endeavour 1964 23 146-152
Terrace H S Discrimination learning and inhibition Science
1966 154 1677~1680
Trabasso R and Bower G H Attention in learnin~ New York
Wiley 1968
Wagner A R Logan F A Haberlandt K and Price T Stimulus
selection in animal discrimination learning J exp Psycho
1968 Zsect 171-180
Wyckoff L B The role of observing responses in discrimination
learning Part I Psychol Rev 1952 22 431-442
Zeaman D and House B J The role of attention in retarded
discrimination learning InN R Ellis (Editor) Handbook
of mental deficiency New York McGraw-Hill 1963 159-223
140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (1969) HcHaster University (Psychology)
TITLE The Role of Distinguishing Features in Discrimination Learning
AUTHOR Robert Stephen Sainsbury BA (Mount Allison University) HA (Dalhousie University)
SUPERVISOR Dr H M Jenkins
NUMBER OF PAGES vii 209
SCOPE AND CONmiddotrENTS
When pigeons are required to discriminate between two displays which may only be differentiated by a distinctive feature on one of the two displays subjects trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display learn the successive discrimination while subjects trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display do not The simultaneous discrimination theory of this feature-positive effect makes a number of explicit predictions about the behaviour of the feature positive and feature neeative subjects The present experiments were designed to test these predictions Experiment I tested the prediction of localization on the distinctive feature by feature positive subjects while Experiment II tested the prediction of avoidance of the distinctive feature by feature negative subjects Experiment III attempted to reduce the feature-positive effect by presenting compact displays
The results of these three experiments supported the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature positive effect
( ii)
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to
Professor H H Jenkins for his advice criticism and encouragement
throughout all stages of this research
The author is also indebted to Hr Cy Dixon and Hr Jan
Licis for their invaluable assistance in building the apparatus
used in these experiments
(iii)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE 1 Introduction
CHAPTER TWO 23 Experiment I
CHAPTER THREE 42 Experiment II
CHAPTER FOUR 73 Experiment III
CHAPTER FIVE 120 Discussion
Appendix A 140
Appendix B 142
Appendix C 162
Appendix D Appendix E 203
(iv)
FIGURES
Fig 1 Symmetrical and asymmetrical pairs of displays 9
Fig 2 Logic diagrams for syrJmetrical and asymmetrical pairs 4 bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 12
Fig 3 Tree diagram of the simultaneous discrimination theory bull bull 17
Fig 4 Hedian Ratio of responses made by feature positive and feature negative subjects in Experiment I bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 29
Fig 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 32
Fig 6 Records of peck location during differential training for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 34
Fig 7 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the negative trial 37
Fig 8 Records of peck location for two subjects trained with the dot on the negative trial 39
Fig 9 Two pairs of displays used in bxperiment II 48
FiglO Median discrimination indices for group trained with circle as distL~ctive feature on positive trial 52
Figll Median discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on positive trial 54
Figl2 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials for subject B-66 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 58
Figl3 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials by subject B-68 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 60
Figl4 lfedian discrimination indices for groups trained with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial 64
Figl5 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on negative trial 66
(v)
Fig 16 Extinction test results for each of the four groups of Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 69
Fig 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbull 78
Fig 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the red circle as the distinctive feature on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbull 89
Fig 19 I1edian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature on the positive tlial bullbullbullbullbullbull 91
Fig 20 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with red circlemiddot as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 94
Fig 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 96
Fig 22 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial 99
Fig 23 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups traDled with the distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 102
Fig 24 ExtDlction test results for each of the four troups trained on distributed displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 107
Fig 25 Extinction test results for each of the four groups trained on compact displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 109
(vi)
TABLES
Table 1 Experimental design used in Experiment III 82
Table 2 Hean successive discrimination indices on the last session of training for all eight groups in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 83
Table 3 Analysis of variance for the last session of training in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 85
Table 4 Proportion of responses on poundi displays made to red circle during pre-differential training bullbull 86
Table 5 Proportion of total responses made to each stimulus within a display bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 192
Table 6 Proportion of total responses made to the positive display during each session by individual subjects bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 194
Table 7 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 206
Table 8 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 208
Table 9 Comparison of position preference and tho proportion of responses made to each type of c d trial 210
(vii)
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
References
Atkinson R C The observing response in discrimination learning
J exp Psychol 1961 62 253-262
Atkinson R C and Estes W K Stimulus sampling theory In
R Luce R Bush and E Galanter (Editors) Handbook of
mathematical psychology Vol 2 New York Wiley 1963
Blough D S Animal psychophysics Scient Amer 1961 205
113-122
Brown P L and Jenkins H M Auto-shaping of the pigeons keyshy
peck J exp Anal Behav 1968 11 l-8
Bush R R and Mosteller R A A model for stimulus generalization
and discrimination Psychol Rev 1951 ~~ 413-423
Dember W N The psychology of perception New York Holt
Rinehart and Winston 1960
Estes W K Component and pattern models with Markovian interpretations
In R R Bush and W K Estes (Editors) Studies in mathematical
learning theory Stanford Calif Stanford Univ Press
1959 9-53
Ferster C B and Skinner B P Schedules of Reinforcement New
York Appleton-Century-Crofts 1957
Honig W K Prediction of preference transportation and transshy
portation-reversal from the generalization gradient J
exp Psychol 1962 64 239-248
137
Honig W K Boneau C A Burnstein K R and Pennypacker H S
Positive and negative generalization gradients obtained after
equivalent training conditions J comp physiol Psychol
1963 2sect 111-116
Jenkins H Measurement of stimulus control during discriminative
operant conditioning Psychol Bull 196~ 64 365-376
Jenkins H and Sainsbury R Discrimination learning with the
distinctive feature on positive and negative trials
Technical Report No 4 Department of Psychology McMaster
University 1967
Lovejoy E P Analysis of the overlearning reversal effect
Psychol Rev 1966 73 87-103
Lovejoy E P An attention theory of discrimination learning J
math Psychol 1965 ~ 342-362
Miller R E and Murphy J V Influence of the spatial relationshy
ships between the cue reward and response in discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1964 67 120-123
Murphy J V and Miller R E The effect of spatial contiguity
of cue and reward in the object-quality learning of rhesus
monkeys J comp physiol Psychol 1955 48 221-224
Murphy J V and Miller R E Effect of the spatial relationship
between cue reward and response in simple discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1958 2sect 26-31
Pavlov I P Conditioned Reflexes London Oxford University
Press 1927
138
Restle F The selection of strategies in cue learning Psychol
Rev 1962 69 329-343
Restle F A theory of discrimination learning Psychol Rev
1955 62 ll-19
Sainsbury R S and Jenkins H M Feature-positive effect in
discrimination learning Proceedings 75th Annual
Convention APA 1967 17-18
Schuck J R Pattern discrimination and visual sampling by the
monkey J comp physiol Psychol 1960 22 251-255
Schuck J bullR Polidora V J McConnell D G and Meyer D R
Response location as a factor in primate pattern discrimination
J comp physiol Psychol 1961 ~ 543-545
Skinner B F Stimulus generalization in an operant A historical
note In D Hostofsky (Editor) Stimulus Generalization
Stanford University Press 1965
Stollnitz F Spatial variables observing responses and discrimination
learning sets Psychol Rev 1965 72 247-261
Stollnitz F and Schrier A M Discrimination learning by monkeys
with spatial separation of cue and response J comp physiol
Psychol 1962 22 876-881
Sutherland N S Stimulus analyzing mechanisms In Proceedings
or the symposium on the mechanization of thought processes
Vol II London Her Majestys Stationery Office 575-609
1959
139
Sutherland N S The learning-of discrimination by animals
Endeavour 1964 23 146-152
Terrace H S Discrimination learning and inhibition Science
1966 154 1677~1680
Trabasso R and Bower G H Attention in learnin~ New York
Wiley 1968
Wagner A R Logan F A Haberlandt K and Price T Stimulus
selection in animal discrimination learning J exp Psycho
1968 Zsect 171-180
Wyckoff L B The role of observing responses in discrimination
learning Part I Psychol Rev 1952 22 431-442
Zeaman D and House B J The role of attention in retarded
discrimination learning InN R Ellis (Editor) Handbook
of mental deficiency New York McGraw-Hill 1963 159-223
140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to
Professor H H Jenkins for his advice criticism and encouragement
throughout all stages of this research
The author is also indebted to Hr Cy Dixon and Hr Jan
Licis for their invaluable assistance in building the apparatus
used in these experiments
(iii)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE 1 Introduction
CHAPTER TWO 23 Experiment I
CHAPTER THREE 42 Experiment II
CHAPTER FOUR 73 Experiment III
CHAPTER FIVE 120 Discussion
Appendix A 140
Appendix B 142
Appendix C 162
Appendix D Appendix E 203
(iv)
FIGURES
Fig 1 Symmetrical and asymmetrical pairs of displays 9
Fig 2 Logic diagrams for syrJmetrical and asymmetrical pairs 4 bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 12
Fig 3 Tree diagram of the simultaneous discrimination theory bull bull 17
Fig 4 Hedian Ratio of responses made by feature positive and feature negative subjects in Experiment I bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 29
Fig 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 32
Fig 6 Records of peck location during differential training for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 34
Fig 7 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the negative trial 37
Fig 8 Records of peck location for two subjects trained with the dot on the negative trial 39
Fig 9 Two pairs of displays used in bxperiment II 48
FiglO Median discrimination indices for group trained with circle as distL~ctive feature on positive trial 52
Figll Median discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on positive trial 54
Figl2 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials for subject B-66 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 58
Figl3 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials by subject B-68 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 60
Figl4 lfedian discrimination indices for groups trained with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial 64
Figl5 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on negative trial 66
(v)
Fig 16 Extinction test results for each of the four groups of Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 69
Fig 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbull 78
Fig 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the red circle as the distinctive feature on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbull 89
Fig 19 I1edian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature on the positive tlial bullbullbullbullbullbull 91
Fig 20 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with red circlemiddot as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 94
Fig 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 96
Fig 22 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial 99
Fig 23 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups traDled with the distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 102
Fig 24 ExtDlction test results for each of the four troups trained on distributed displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 107
Fig 25 Extinction test results for each of the four groups trained on compact displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 109
(vi)
TABLES
Table 1 Experimental design used in Experiment III 82
Table 2 Hean successive discrimination indices on the last session of training for all eight groups in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 83
Table 3 Analysis of variance for the last session of training in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 85
Table 4 Proportion of responses on poundi displays made to red circle during pre-differential training bullbull 86
Table 5 Proportion of total responses made to each stimulus within a display bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 192
Table 6 Proportion of total responses made to the positive display during each session by individual subjects bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 194
Table 7 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 206
Table 8 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 208
Table 9 Comparison of position preference and tho proportion of responses made to each type of c d trial 210
(vii)
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
References
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J exp Psychol 1961 62 253-262
Atkinson R C and Estes W K Stimulus sampling theory In
R Luce R Bush and E Galanter (Editors) Handbook of
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Blough D S Animal psychophysics Scient Amer 1961 205
113-122
Brown P L and Jenkins H M Auto-shaping of the pigeons keyshy
peck J exp Anal Behav 1968 11 l-8
Bush R R and Mosteller R A A model for stimulus generalization
and discrimination Psychol Rev 1951 ~~ 413-423
Dember W N The psychology of perception New York Holt
Rinehart and Winston 1960
Estes W K Component and pattern models with Markovian interpretations
In R R Bush and W K Estes (Editors) Studies in mathematical
learning theory Stanford Calif Stanford Univ Press
1959 9-53
Ferster C B and Skinner B P Schedules of Reinforcement New
York Appleton-Century-Crofts 1957
Honig W K Prediction of preference transportation and transshy
portation-reversal from the generalization gradient J
exp Psychol 1962 64 239-248
137
Honig W K Boneau C A Burnstein K R and Pennypacker H S
Positive and negative generalization gradients obtained after
equivalent training conditions J comp physiol Psychol
1963 2sect 111-116
Jenkins H Measurement of stimulus control during discriminative
operant conditioning Psychol Bull 196~ 64 365-376
Jenkins H and Sainsbury R Discrimination learning with the
distinctive feature on positive and negative trials
Technical Report No 4 Department of Psychology McMaster
University 1967
Lovejoy E P Analysis of the overlearning reversal effect
Psychol Rev 1966 73 87-103
Lovejoy E P An attention theory of discrimination learning J
math Psychol 1965 ~ 342-362
Miller R E and Murphy J V Influence of the spatial relationshy
ships between the cue reward and response in discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1964 67 120-123
Murphy J V and Miller R E The effect of spatial contiguity
of cue and reward in the object-quality learning of rhesus
monkeys J comp physiol Psychol 1955 48 221-224
Murphy J V and Miller R E Effect of the spatial relationship
between cue reward and response in simple discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1958 2sect 26-31
Pavlov I P Conditioned Reflexes London Oxford University
Press 1927
138
Restle F The selection of strategies in cue learning Psychol
Rev 1962 69 329-343
Restle F A theory of discrimination learning Psychol Rev
1955 62 ll-19
Sainsbury R S and Jenkins H M Feature-positive effect in
discrimination learning Proceedings 75th Annual
Convention APA 1967 17-18
Schuck J R Pattern discrimination and visual sampling by the
monkey J comp physiol Psychol 1960 22 251-255
Schuck J bullR Polidora V J McConnell D G and Meyer D R
Response location as a factor in primate pattern discrimination
J comp physiol Psychol 1961 ~ 543-545
Skinner B F Stimulus generalization in an operant A historical
note In D Hostofsky (Editor) Stimulus Generalization
Stanford University Press 1965
Stollnitz F Spatial variables observing responses and discrimination
learning sets Psychol Rev 1965 72 247-261
Stollnitz F and Schrier A M Discrimination learning by monkeys
with spatial separation of cue and response J comp physiol
Psychol 1962 22 876-881
Sutherland N S Stimulus analyzing mechanisms In Proceedings
or the symposium on the mechanization of thought processes
Vol II London Her Majestys Stationery Office 575-609
1959
139
Sutherland N S The learning-of discrimination by animals
Endeavour 1964 23 146-152
Terrace H S Discrimination learning and inhibition Science
1966 154 1677~1680
Trabasso R and Bower G H Attention in learnin~ New York
Wiley 1968
Wagner A R Logan F A Haberlandt K and Price T Stimulus
selection in animal discrimination learning J exp Psycho
1968 Zsect 171-180
Wyckoff L B The role of observing responses in discrimination
learning Part I Psychol Rev 1952 22 431-442
Zeaman D and House B J The role of attention in retarded
discrimination learning InN R Ellis (Editor) Handbook
of mental deficiency New York McGraw-Hill 1963 159-223
140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE 1 Introduction
CHAPTER TWO 23 Experiment I
CHAPTER THREE 42 Experiment II
CHAPTER FOUR 73 Experiment III
CHAPTER FIVE 120 Discussion
Appendix A 140
Appendix B 142
Appendix C 162
Appendix D Appendix E 203
(iv)
FIGURES
Fig 1 Symmetrical and asymmetrical pairs of displays 9
Fig 2 Logic diagrams for syrJmetrical and asymmetrical pairs 4 bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 12
Fig 3 Tree diagram of the simultaneous discrimination theory bull bull 17
Fig 4 Hedian Ratio of responses made by feature positive and feature negative subjects in Experiment I bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 29
Fig 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 32
Fig 6 Records of peck location during differential training for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 34
Fig 7 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the negative trial 37
Fig 8 Records of peck location for two subjects trained with the dot on the negative trial 39
Fig 9 Two pairs of displays used in bxperiment II 48
FiglO Median discrimination indices for group trained with circle as distL~ctive feature on positive trial 52
Figll Median discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on positive trial 54
Figl2 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials for subject B-66 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 58
Figl3 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials by subject B-68 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 60
Figl4 lfedian discrimination indices for groups trained with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial 64
Figl5 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on negative trial 66
(v)
Fig 16 Extinction test results for each of the four groups of Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 69
Fig 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbull 78
Fig 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the red circle as the distinctive feature on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbull 89
Fig 19 I1edian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature on the positive tlial bullbullbullbullbullbull 91
Fig 20 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with red circlemiddot as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 94
Fig 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 96
Fig 22 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial 99
Fig 23 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups traDled with the distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 102
Fig 24 ExtDlction test results for each of the four troups trained on distributed displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 107
Fig 25 Extinction test results for each of the four groups trained on compact displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 109
(vi)
TABLES
Table 1 Experimental design used in Experiment III 82
Table 2 Hean successive discrimination indices on the last session of training for all eight groups in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 83
Table 3 Analysis of variance for the last session of training in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 85
Table 4 Proportion of responses on poundi displays made to red circle during pre-differential training bullbull 86
Table 5 Proportion of total responses made to each stimulus within a display bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 192
Table 6 Proportion of total responses made to the positive display during each session by individual subjects bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 194
Table 7 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 206
Table 8 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 208
Table 9 Comparison of position preference and tho proportion of responses made to each type of c d trial 210
(vii)
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
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140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0
FIGURES
Fig 1 Symmetrical and asymmetrical pairs of displays 9
Fig 2 Logic diagrams for syrJmetrical and asymmetrical pairs 4 bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 12
Fig 3 Tree diagram of the simultaneous discrimination theory bull bull 17
Fig 4 Hedian Ratio of responses made by feature positive and feature negative subjects in Experiment I bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull 29
Fig 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 32
Fig 6 Records of peck location during differential training for a subject trained with the dot on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 34
Fig 7 Records of peck location for a subject trained with the dot on the negative trial 37
Fig 8 Records of peck location for two subjects trained with the dot on the negative trial 39
Fig 9 Two pairs of displays used in bxperiment II 48
FiglO Median discrimination indices for group trained with circle as distL~ctive feature on positive trial 52
Figll Median discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on positive trial 54
Figl2 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials for subject B-66 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 58
Figl3 Total number of responses made to common elements on cd and c-only trials by subject B-68 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 60
Figl4 lfedian discrimination indices for groups trained with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial 64
Figl5 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained with star as distinctive feature on negative trial 66
(v)
Fig 16 Extinction test results for each of the four groups of Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 69
Fig 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbull 78
Fig 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the red circle as the distinctive feature on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbull 89
Fig 19 I1edian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature on the positive tlial bullbullbullbullbullbull 91
Fig 20 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with red circlemiddot as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 94
Fig 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 96
Fig 22 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial 99
Fig 23 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups traDled with the distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 102
Fig 24 ExtDlction test results for each of the four troups trained on distributed displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 107
Fig 25 Extinction test results for each of the four groups trained on compact displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 109
(vi)
TABLES
Table 1 Experimental design used in Experiment III 82
Table 2 Hean successive discrimination indices on the last session of training for all eight groups in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 83
Table 3 Analysis of variance for the last session of training in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 85
Table 4 Proportion of responses on poundi displays made to red circle during pre-differential training bullbull 86
Table 5 Proportion of total responses made to each stimulus within a display bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 192
Table 6 Proportion of total responses made to the positive display during each session by individual subjects bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 194
Table 7 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 206
Table 8 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 208
Table 9 Comparison of position preference and tho proportion of responses made to each type of c d trial 210
(vii)
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
References
Atkinson R C The observing response in discrimination learning
J exp Psychol 1961 62 253-262
Atkinson R C and Estes W K Stimulus sampling theory In
R Luce R Bush and E Galanter (Editors) Handbook of
mathematical psychology Vol 2 New York Wiley 1963
Blough D S Animal psychophysics Scient Amer 1961 205
113-122
Brown P L and Jenkins H M Auto-shaping of the pigeons keyshy
peck J exp Anal Behav 1968 11 l-8
Bush R R and Mosteller R A A model for stimulus generalization
and discrimination Psychol Rev 1951 ~~ 413-423
Dember W N The psychology of perception New York Holt
Rinehart and Winston 1960
Estes W K Component and pattern models with Markovian interpretations
In R R Bush and W K Estes (Editors) Studies in mathematical
learning theory Stanford Calif Stanford Univ Press
1959 9-53
Ferster C B and Skinner B P Schedules of Reinforcement New
York Appleton-Century-Crofts 1957
Honig W K Prediction of preference transportation and transshy
portation-reversal from the generalization gradient J
exp Psychol 1962 64 239-248
137
Honig W K Boneau C A Burnstein K R and Pennypacker H S
Positive and negative generalization gradients obtained after
equivalent training conditions J comp physiol Psychol
1963 2sect 111-116
Jenkins H Measurement of stimulus control during discriminative
operant conditioning Psychol Bull 196~ 64 365-376
Jenkins H and Sainsbury R Discrimination learning with the
distinctive feature on positive and negative trials
Technical Report No 4 Department of Psychology McMaster
University 1967
Lovejoy E P Analysis of the overlearning reversal effect
Psychol Rev 1966 73 87-103
Lovejoy E P An attention theory of discrimination learning J
math Psychol 1965 ~ 342-362
Miller R E and Murphy J V Influence of the spatial relationshy
ships between the cue reward and response in discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1964 67 120-123
Murphy J V and Miller R E The effect of spatial contiguity
of cue and reward in the object-quality learning of rhesus
monkeys J comp physiol Psychol 1955 48 221-224
Murphy J V and Miller R E Effect of the spatial relationship
between cue reward and response in simple discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1958 2sect 26-31
Pavlov I P Conditioned Reflexes London Oxford University
Press 1927
138
Restle F The selection of strategies in cue learning Psychol
Rev 1962 69 329-343
Restle F A theory of discrimination learning Psychol Rev
1955 62 ll-19
Sainsbury R S and Jenkins H M Feature-positive effect in
discrimination learning Proceedings 75th Annual
Convention APA 1967 17-18
Schuck J R Pattern discrimination and visual sampling by the
monkey J comp physiol Psychol 1960 22 251-255
Schuck J bullR Polidora V J McConnell D G and Meyer D R
Response location as a factor in primate pattern discrimination
J comp physiol Psychol 1961 ~ 543-545
Skinner B F Stimulus generalization in an operant A historical
note In D Hostofsky (Editor) Stimulus Generalization
Stanford University Press 1965
Stollnitz F Spatial variables observing responses and discrimination
learning sets Psychol Rev 1965 72 247-261
Stollnitz F and Schrier A M Discrimination learning by monkeys
with spatial separation of cue and response J comp physiol
Psychol 1962 22 876-881
Sutherland N S Stimulus analyzing mechanisms In Proceedings
or the symposium on the mechanization of thought processes
Vol II London Her Majestys Stationery Office 575-609
1959
139
Sutherland N S The learning-of discrimination by animals
Endeavour 1964 23 146-152
Terrace H S Discrimination learning and inhibition Science
1966 154 1677~1680
Trabasso R and Bower G H Attention in learnin~ New York
Wiley 1968
Wagner A R Logan F A Haberlandt K and Price T Stimulus
selection in animal discrimination learning J exp Psycho
1968 Zsect 171-180
Wyckoff L B The role of observing responses in discrimination
learning Part I Psychol Rev 1952 22 431-442
Zeaman D and House B J The role of attention in retarded
discrimination learning InN R Ellis (Editor) Handbook
of mental deficiency New York McGraw-Hill 1963 159-223
140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0
Fig 16 Extinction test results for each of the four groups of Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 69
Fig 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbull 78
Fig 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the red circle as the distinctive feature on the positive trial bullbullbullbullbullbull 89
Fig 19 I1edian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature on the positive tlial bullbullbullbullbullbull 91
Fig 20 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed group trained with red circlemiddot as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 94
Fig 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 96
Fig 22 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial 99
Fig 23 Hedian discrimination indices for both compact groups traDled with the distinctive feature on the negative trial bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 102
Fig 24 ExtDlction test results for each of the four troups trained on distributed displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 107
Fig 25 Extinction test results for each of the four groups trained on compact displays bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 109
(vi)
TABLES
Table 1 Experimental design used in Experiment III 82
Table 2 Hean successive discrimination indices on the last session of training for all eight groups in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 83
Table 3 Analysis of variance for the last session of training in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 85
Table 4 Proportion of responses on poundi displays made to red circle during pre-differential training bullbull 86
Table 5 Proportion of total responses made to each stimulus within a display bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 192
Table 6 Proportion of total responses made to the positive display during each session by individual subjects bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 194
Table 7 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 206
Table 8 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 208
Table 9 Comparison of position preference and tho proportion of responses made to each type of c d trial 210
(vii)
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
References
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J exp Psychol 1961 62 253-262
Atkinson R C and Estes W K Stimulus sampling theory In
R Luce R Bush and E Galanter (Editors) Handbook of
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Blough D S Animal psychophysics Scient Amer 1961 205
113-122
Brown P L and Jenkins H M Auto-shaping of the pigeons keyshy
peck J exp Anal Behav 1968 11 l-8
Bush R R and Mosteller R A A model for stimulus generalization
and discrimination Psychol Rev 1951 ~~ 413-423
Dember W N The psychology of perception New York Holt
Rinehart and Winston 1960
Estes W K Component and pattern models with Markovian interpretations
In R R Bush and W K Estes (Editors) Studies in mathematical
learning theory Stanford Calif Stanford Univ Press
1959 9-53
Ferster C B and Skinner B P Schedules of Reinforcement New
York Appleton-Century-Crofts 1957
Honig W K Prediction of preference transportation and transshy
portation-reversal from the generalization gradient J
exp Psychol 1962 64 239-248
137
Honig W K Boneau C A Burnstein K R and Pennypacker H S
Positive and negative generalization gradients obtained after
equivalent training conditions J comp physiol Psychol
1963 2sect 111-116
Jenkins H Measurement of stimulus control during discriminative
operant conditioning Psychol Bull 196~ 64 365-376
Jenkins H and Sainsbury R Discrimination learning with the
distinctive feature on positive and negative trials
Technical Report No 4 Department of Psychology McMaster
University 1967
Lovejoy E P Analysis of the overlearning reversal effect
Psychol Rev 1966 73 87-103
Lovejoy E P An attention theory of discrimination learning J
math Psychol 1965 ~ 342-362
Miller R E and Murphy J V Influence of the spatial relationshy
ships between the cue reward and response in discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1964 67 120-123
Murphy J V and Miller R E The effect of spatial contiguity
of cue and reward in the object-quality learning of rhesus
monkeys J comp physiol Psychol 1955 48 221-224
Murphy J V and Miller R E Effect of the spatial relationship
between cue reward and response in simple discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1958 2sect 26-31
Pavlov I P Conditioned Reflexes London Oxford University
Press 1927
138
Restle F The selection of strategies in cue learning Psychol
Rev 1962 69 329-343
Restle F A theory of discrimination learning Psychol Rev
1955 62 ll-19
Sainsbury R S and Jenkins H M Feature-positive effect in
discrimination learning Proceedings 75th Annual
Convention APA 1967 17-18
Schuck J R Pattern discrimination and visual sampling by the
monkey J comp physiol Psychol 1960 22 251-255
Schuck J bullR Polidora V J McConnell D G and Meyer D R
Response location as a factor in primate pattern discrimination
J comp physiol Psychol 1961 ~ 543-545
Skinner B F Stimulus generalization in an operant A historical
note In D Hostofsky (Editor) Stimulus Generalization
Stanford University Press 1965
Stollnitz F Spatial variables observing responses and discrimination
learning sets Psychol Rev 1965 72 247-261
Stollnitz F and Schrier A M Discrimination learning by monkeys
with spatial separation of cue and response J comp physiol
Psychol 1962 22 876-881
Sutherland N S Stimulus analyzing mechanisms In Proceedings
or the symposium on the mechanization of thought processes
Vol II London Her Majestys Stationery Office 575-609
1959
139
Sutherland N S The learning-of discrimination by animals
Endeavour 1964 23 146-152
Terrace H S Discrimination learning and inhibition Science
1966 154 1677~1680
Trabasso R and Bower G H Attention in learnin~ New York
Wiley 1968
Wagner A R Logan F A Haberlandt K and Price T Stimulus
selection in animal discrimination learning J exp Psycho
1968 Zsect 171-180
Wyckoff L B The role of observing responses in discrimination
learning Part I Psychol Rev 1952 22 431-442
Zeaman D and House B J The role of attention in retarded
discrimination learning InN R Ellis (Editor) Handbook
of mental deficiency New York McGraw-Hill 1963 159-223
140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0
TABLES
Table 1 Experimental design used in Experiment III 82
Table 2 Hean successive discrimination indices on the last session of training for all eight groups in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 83
Table 3 Analysis of variance for the last session of training in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 85
Table 4 Proportion of responses on poundi displays made to red circle during pre-differential training bullbull 86
Table 5 Proportion of total responses made to each stimulus within a display bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 192
Table 6 Proportion of total responses made to the positive display during each session by individual subjects bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 194
Table 7 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment II bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 206
Table 8 Proportion of responses made to each section of the display on c-only trials by feature negative subjects in Experiment III bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 208
Table 9 Comparison of position preference and tho proportion of responses made to each type of c d trial 210
(vii)
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
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J exp Psychol 1961 62 253-262
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Blough D S Animal psychophysics Scient Amer 1961 205
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Brown P L and Jenkins H M Auto-shaping of the pigeons keyshy
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Bush R R and Mosteller R A A model for stimulus generalization
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Honig W K Boneau C A Burnstein K R and Pennypacker H S
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140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0
CHAPTER OiIE
Introduction
Pavlov (1927) was the first investigator to study discrimli1ative
conditioning using successive presentations of two similar stimuli only
one of which was reinforced For example a tone of a given frequency
was paired with the introduction of food powder into the dogs mouth
while a tone of a different frequency went unreinforced Initially
both the reinforced and nonreinforced tones evoked the conditioned
response of salivation After repeated presentations responding ceased
in the presence of the nonreinforced stimulus while continuing in the
presence of the reinforced stimulus Using this method called the method
of contrasts Pavlov investieated discriminative conditioninG for a
variety of visual auditory and tactile stimuli
A similar procedure is used in the study of discrimination
learning within operant conditioning In operant conditioning a response
is required (eg a rats bar press or a pigeons key peck) in order to
bring about reinforcement Responses made in the presene of one stimulus
produces reinforcernent (eg deliver a food pellet to a hungry rat or
make grain available to a hungry pigeon) while responses to a different
stillulus go unreinforced As in the Pavlovian or classical condi tionins
experiment the typical result is that at first responses are made to
both stimuli As successive presentations of reinforced agtd nonreinforced
1
2
stimuli continue responding decreases or stops altogether in the
presence of the nonreinforced or negative stimulus while it continues
in the presence of the reinforced or positive stimulus The term gono-go
discrimination is often used to refer to a discriminative performance
of this type
In many experiments using this paradigm of discriminative
conditioning the pair of stimuli to be discriminated will differ along
some dimension that is easily varied in a continuous fashion For example
the intensityof sound or light the frequency of tones the wave length
of monochromatic light the orientation of a line etc might distinguish
positive from negative trials The choice of stimuli of this type may
be dict9ted by an interest in the capacity of a sensory system to resolve
differences or simply because the difficulty of discrimination can be
readily controlled by varying the separation between the stimuli along
the dimension of difference Except where the pair of stimuli differ in
intensity experimenters generally assume that the development of a
discrimination is unaffected by the way in which the members of the pair
of stimuli are assigned to positive and negative trials If for example
a discrimination is to be learned between a vertical and a tilted line
there is no reason to believe that it makes a difference whether the
vertical or the tilted line is assigned to the positive trial The
discrimination is based on a difference in orientation ~~d the difference
belongs-no more to one member of the pair than to the other It could be
said that the stimuli differ symmetrically which implies a symmetry in
performance To introduce some notation let A and A2 represent stimuli1
3
that differ in terms of a value on dimension A Discrimination training
with A on the positive trial and A on the negative trial is indicated1 2
by A -A2 the reverse assignment as A -A bull Performance is said to be1 2 1
symmetrical with respect to assignments if the A -A task is learned at1 2
the same rate as the A -A task2 1
The assumption of symmetry for pairs of stirluli of this type
appears to have been so plausible that few investigators have bothered
to test it In Pavlovs discussion of discrimination he wrote Our
_repeated experiments have demonstrated that the same precision of
differentiation of various stimuli can be obtained whether they are used
in the form of negative or positive conditioned stimuli This holds good
in the case of conditioned trace reflexes also (Pavlov 1927 p 123)
It would appear from the context of the quote that the reference is to
the equality of performance for A -A and J -A tasks but since no1 2 2 1
experiments are described one cannot be certain
Pavlov studied discrimD1ations of a different kind in his
experiments on conditioned inhibition A conditioned response was first
established to one stimulus (A) through reinforcement A new stimulus
(B) was then occasionally added to the first and the combination was
nonreinforced lith continued training on this discrimination (A-AB)
the conditioned response ceased to the compound AB while it continued
to be made to A alone In Pavlovs ter~s B had become a conditioned
inhibitor
While the assumption of symmetry when the stimuli are of the
A -A variety seems compelling there is far less reason to expect equality1 2
4
in the learning of A-fill and AB-A discriminations There is a sense in
which the pair AB A is asymmetrically different since the difference
belongs more to the compound containing B than to the single element
The discrimination is based on the presence versus the absence of B
and it is by no means clear that the elimination of responding on the
negative trial should develop at the same rate when the negative trial
is marked from the positive trial by the addition of a stimulus as when
it is marked by the removal of a stimulus Oddly enough neither Pavlov
nor subsequent jnvestigators have provided an experimental comparison
of the learning of an AB-A and A-AB discrimination It is the purpose
of the present thesis to provide that comparison in the case of an
operant gono-go discrimination
Before describing in more detail the particulars of the present
experiments it is of interest to consider in general terms how the
comparison of learning an ~B-A with an A-AB discrimination might be
interpreted
The important thing to note is that within the AB-A and the A-AB
arrangements there are alternative ways to relate the performance of a
gono-go discrimination to the A and B stimuli The alternatives can
be expressed in terms of different rules which would be consistent with
the required gono-go performance Two rules for each arrangement are
listed below
AB-A A - AB
a) Respond to B otherwise do a) Do not respond to B otherwise not respond respond
b) Respond to A if B is present b) Do not respond to A if B is present otherwise do not respond to A otherwise respond to A
5
The rules desi~nated ~ and 2 are coordinate in that the performance
is governed entirely by the B stimulus In ~ the B stimulus has a
direct excitatory function since its presence evokes the response whjle
in a it has a direct inhibitory function since the presentation of B-middotmiddotmiddot prevents the response Rules b and b are also coordinate In each
case the response to A is modified by or is conditional upon the
presence of B but A is necessary for any response to occur In rule
E the B stimulus has an excitatory function while in rule~ it has an
inhibitory function but the functions are less direct than in rules a
and a since the action of B is said to depend on A
If it should turn out that the perforr1ance of the AB - A and
A - AB discriminations is correctly described by coordinate rules ie
either 2 and~ or 2 and_ then the experiment compares the absence of
an excitatory stiwulus with the preGence of an inhibitory stirmlus as a
basis for developing the no-go side of the discriminative performance
However there is nothing to prevent the AB - A discrimination from being
learned on a basis that is not coordinate with the basis on which the
A - AB discrimination is learned For example the AB - A discrimination
might be learned in accordance with rule a while rule b might apply to
the A - AB case This particular outcome is in fact especially likely
when training is carried out in a discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins
1965) since in that event is not a sufficient rule for the A - AB
discrimination In a discriminated trial procedure there are three
stimulus conditions the condition on the positive trial on the negative
trial and the condition that applies during the intervels between trials
6
In the present case neither stimulus A nor B would be present in the
intertrial If rule a were to apply the animal would therefore be
responding during the intertrial as well as on the positive trial since
rule ~middot states that responses occur unless B is present Conversely if
the between-trial condition is discriminated from the trials rule ~middot would
not apply Rule pound is however sufficient since the A stimulus provides
a basis for discriminating the positive trial from the intertrial It
is obvious that in the AB - A arrangement it is possible to ignore
stimulus A as in rule~middot because stimulus B alone serves to discriminate
the positive trial both from the intertrial condition and from the negative
trial
The implication of this discussion is that the comparison between
the learning of an A - AB and AB - A discrimination cannot be interpreted
as a comparison of inhibition with a loss of excit~tion as a basis for
the reduction of responses on the negative trial An interpretation in
these terms is only warranted if the two discriminations are learned on
a coordinate basis
There are of course many ways to choose stimuli to correspond
to A and Bin the general paradigm In Pavlovs experiments the A and
B stimuli were often in different modalities For example A might be
the beat of a metronome and B the addition of a tactile stimulus In
the present experiments however we have chosen to use only patterned
visual displays The B stimulus is represented as the addition of a
part or detail to one member of a pair of displays which were otherwise
identical
7
It is of interest to consider more carefully how di8plays that
differ asymmetrically may be distinguished from those that differ
symmetrically What assumptions are made when a pair of displays is
represented as AB and A in contrast with A and A 1 2
In Figure 1 are shown several groups of three displays One
can regard the middle display as being distinguished from the one to its
left by a feature that is located on the left hand display Accordingly
the middle and left hand displays may be said to differ asymmetrically
The middle and right hand displays on the other hand are symmetrically
different since the difference belongs no more to one display than to
the other
The assertion that a distiJlctive feature is located on one display
implies an analysis of the displays into features that are common to the
pair of displays and a distinctive feature that belongs to just one member
of the pair The middle and left-hand displays in the first row of
Figure 1 may be viewed as having a blank lighted area in common while
only the left hand display has the distinctive feature of a small black
circle The corresponding pair in the second row may be viewed as having
line segments in common (as well as a blank lighted area) while only the
left hand display has the distinctive feature of a gap In the third
row one can point to black circles as common parts and to the star as a
distinctive part A similar formula can be applied to each of the
rer1aining left hand pairs shown in Figure lo
In principle one can decide whether a pair of displays is
asymmetrically different by removing all features that appear on both
displays If something remains on one display while nothing remains on
8
Figure 1 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical pairs of displays
9
asymmetric a I symmetrical---middot-------r----------1
v
2
3
4
5
10
the other the pair is asymmetrically different The application of
this rule to the midd1e and right hand pairs in Figure 1 would yield
the same remainder on each display and hence these pairs of displays
differ symmetrically
The contrast between symmetrically and asynmetrically different
displays can be represented in logic diagrams as shown in Figure 2 The
left hand displays of Figure 1 are noted as 2_pound where pound stc-lIlds for the
distinctive feature and c for common features The middle display when
considered in relation to the left hand display consists entirely of
features common to both displays E_ and so is included within the left
hand display The pair made up of the middle and right hand displays
cannot be forced into the pound c and E notation since neither display
consists only of features that are also found on the other display These
pairs might be represented es 2_ _pound ann _d poundbull The logic diRgrRms suggest1 2
that one might also describe degrees of asymmetry but there is no need
to develop the matter here
It is important to recognize that the description of a display
as made up of common and distinctive features implies a particular form
of perceptual analysis which the physical makeup of the display cannot
guarantee In every case the rmirs that have been sctid to differ
asymmetrically could also be described in ways which remove the asyrntletry
The first pair can be described as a heterogeneous vs a homogeneous
area the second as an interrupted vs a continuous line the third as
dissimilar vs similar figures (or two vs three circles) and so on
In these more wholistic interpretations there are no local
distinctive features there are only contrasts A more radically molecular
11
Figure 2 Logic diagrams for symmetrical and asymnetrical pairs
dl c d2 cd c
c
symmetricallymiddotasymmetrically differentdifferent
13
analysis is also conceivable For example the space that forms the
gap in the line could be taken as identical to the space elsewhere in
the display The displays would then be collections of identical
elements Such an interpretation would imply that the interrupted and
continuous lines could not be discriminated
Vfuen it is asserted that a distinctive feature is located on one
display it is assumed that the feature is perceived as a unit and that
the remainder of the display maintains its identity independently of the
presence or absence of the distinctive feature
The first test of this assumption was reported by Jenkins amp
Sainsbury (1967) who performed a series of experiments which compared the
learning of a gono go discrimination when the distinctive feature
appeared on reli1forced or nonreinforced trials A review of those
expcriments and of the problems they raise will serve to introduce the
present experirJents
In the initial experiments pigeons were trained to discriminate
between a uniformly illuminated vthite disk one inch in diameter and
the same disk with a black dot 18 inch in diameter located in the centre
of the field These two displays correspond to the first pair of stimuli
shown in Figure 1 Fiteen animals were trained with the distinctive
feature on the positive display (feature positive) and sixteen aniraals
were trained with the distinctive feature on the negative display (feature
negative) Eleven of the fifteen feature positive animals learned the
successive discrimination while only one of the sixteen feature negative
animals did so Thic strong superiority of performance when the feature
is placed on positive trials is referred to as the feature4Jositive effect
14
It appears then that the placement of the distinctive feature is an
important variable
The use of a small dot as the distinctive feature raises the
possibility that the feature positive effect was due to a special
significance of small round objects to the pigeon Perhaps the resemblance
of the dot to a piece of grain results in persistent pecking at the dot
Thus when the dot is on negative trials H continues to elicit pecking
and the no-go side of the discrimination never appears This intershy
pretation of the feature positive effect is referred to as the elicitation
theory of the feature positive effect
A further experiment was performed in order to test this theory
Four new subjects were first reinforced for responding to each of three
displays a lighted display containing a dot a lighted display without
a dot and an unlighted display Reinforcement was then discontinued on
each of the lighted disr)lays but continued for responses to the unlighted
display It was found that the resistance to extinction to the dot display
and the no-dot display did not differ If the dot elicited pecking because
of its grain like appearance extinction should have occurred more slowly
in the presence of this display Thus it would seem that the elicitation
theory was not middotvorking in this situation
Jenkins amp Sainsbury (1967) performed a third experiment in order
to determine whether or not the feature positive effect occurred when
other stimuli were employed Two groups of animals were trained to
discriminate between a solid black horizontal line on a white background
and the same line with a 116 inch gap in its centre These stimuli
correspond to the second pair of asymmetrical stimuli depicted in Figure
-- -
15
1 Fbre animals were trained with the distinctive feature (ie gap)
on the positive display and five animals were trained with the gap
placed on the negative display By the end of training four of the
five gap-positive animals had formed the discrimination while none of
the five gap-negative animals showed any sign of discriminating Thus
a clear feature positive effect was obtained
It would seem then that the location of the distinctive feature
in relation to the positive or negative displays is an important variable
All of these experiments clearly illustrate that if the distinctive
feature is placed on the positive display the probability is high that
the animal will learn the discrimination Conversely the animals have
a very low probability of learning the discrimination if the distinctive
feature is placed on the negative display
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) outline in some detail a formulation
which would explain these results The theory assumes as does our
discussion of AB - A and A - AB discriminations that the display is not
responded to as a unit or whole Hare specifically the distinctive
feature and common features have separate response probabilities associated
with them Further on any distinctive feature trial the animal may
respond to either the distinctive feature or the common feature and the
outcome of the trial affects the response probability of only the feature
that has been responded to Thus while it may be true that both types
of features are seen the distinctive feature and common features act
as independent stimuli
A diagram of this formulation may be seen in Figure 3 ~ne
probability of occurrence of a cd - trial or a c - trial is always 50
16
Figure 3 Tree-diagram of simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature-positive effect The expression P(Rclc) is the
probability of a response to pound when the display only contains
c P(Rclc~d) is the probability of a response topound when the
display containspound and_pound P(Roc) and P(Rocd) are the
probabilities that no response will be made on a pound-only or
pound~-trial respectively P(Rdlcd) is the probability that a
pound response will be made on a poundi trial E1 signifies
reinforcement and E nonreinforcement0
OUTCOME OF RESPONSE
Featuro Positive Featur Neltative
Rc Eo E1
c
Ro Eo Eo
TRIAL Rc E1 Eo
c d lt Rd E1 Eo
Ro Eo Eo
- --J
18
The terms Rpound Rpound and R_2 refer to the type of response that can be made
The term Rpound stands for a response to the distinctive feature while Rc
represents a response made to a common feature and Ro refers to no
response The probabiJity of each type of response varies with the
reinforcement probability for that response
At the outset of any trial containing pound both c and d become
available The animal chooses to respond to pound or to pound and subsequently
receives food (E ) or no food (E ) depending on whether training is with1 0
the feature positive or feature negative On a trial containing only
pound the response has to be made to c It may be noted that a response
to pound either on a poundsect - trial or on a c - only trial is in this
formulation assumed to be an identical event That is an animal does
not differentiate between apound on a poundpound-trial and apound on a c- only trial
Thus the outcomes of a pound response on both types of trials combine to give
a reinforcement probability with a maximum set at 50 This is the
case because throughout this formulation it is assumed that the probability
of making a pound response on pound - only trials is equal to or greater than the
probability of makin a _c response on a c d - trial (P(R I ) gt P (R I d))- -- c c - c c
In the feature positive case the probability of reinforcement
for ad response is fixed at 1 (P(E1 fRd = 1)) On the other hand the
highest probability of reinforcement for a response to pound given the
assumption aboveis 50 (P(E R = 50)) ~1e value of 50 occurs only1 0
when all responses are to poundmiddot As the probability of a response to ~
increases the probability of reinforcement for apound response decreases
The relation betv1ecn these probabilities is given by the following
expression
19
P(E IR )= P(Rcc d)1 c -P(R__IL_)_+_P_(R~I~)-
c cd c c
It is clear then t~ltt the probability of reinforcement for
responding to d is anchored at 1 while the maximum reinforcement probability
for responding to E is 50 This difference in reinforcement probability
is advantageous for a simultaneous discrimination to occur when apoundpound shy
trial is presented Thus while the probability of a i response increases
the probability of reinforcement for a E response decreases because an
increasing proportion of E responses occur on the negative E - only display
There is good reason to expect that the probability of responding
to c on poundpound - trials will decrease more rapidly than the probability of
responding to c on a E - only trial One can expect the response to c
on pound 1pound - trials to diminish as soon as the strength of a i response
excee0s the strength of a c response On the other hand the response
to c on c - only trials will not diminish until the strength of the pound
response falls belov some absolute value necessary to evoke a response
The occurrence of the simultaneous discrimination prior to the formation
of the successive discrimination plays an important role in the present
formulation as it is the process by which the probability of a pound response
is decreased
This expectation is consistent with the results of a previous
experiment (Honig 1962) in which it was found that when animals were
switched from a simultaneous discrimination to a successive discrimination
using the same stimuli the response was not extinguished to the negative
stimulus
In the feature negative case the probability of reinforcement
20
for a response topound (P(S Rd)) is fixed at zero The probability of1
reinforcement for a response to c (P(s 1Rc)) is a function of the1
probability of responding to c on positive trials when only pound is
available and of responding to c on negative trials when both d
and pound are present
Again this may be expressed in the following equation
P(E1 Rc) = P(Rclc) P(Rcc) + P(Rcjcd)
It is clear from this that in the feature negative case the
probability of reinforcement for a pound response cannot fall below 50
As in the feature positive case there is an advantageous
situation for a simultaneous discriminatio1 to occur within thepoundpound
display Responding to pound is never reinforced while a response to pound
has a reinforcerwnt probability of at least 50 Thus one would
expect responding to be centred at c
As the animal does not differentiate a pound response on poundpound
trials from a pound response on pound - only trials he does not cease
respondins on poundpound - trials One way in which this failure to
discriminate could be described is that subjects fail to make a
condi tior-al discrimination based on d If the above explanation
is correct it is necessary for the feature negative animals to
(a) learn to respond to pound and
(b) modify the response to c if c is accompanied by poundbull
The feature positive anir1als on the other hand need only learn to
respond only when pound is present
21
This theory hereafter bwwn as the simultaneous discrimination
theory of discrimination makes some rather specific predictions about
the behaviour of the feature positive and feature negr1tive animals
during training
(a) If the animal does in fact segment the stimulus display
into two elements then one might expect the location of the responding
to be correlated with the location of these elements Further given
that differential responding occurs vJithin a display then one would
expect that in the feature positive condition animals would eventually
confine th~ir response to the locus of the distinctive feature on the
positive display
lhe theory also predicts that localization of responses on d
should precede the elimination of responding on pound-only trials The
theory is not hovrever specific enough to predict the quantitative
nature of this relationship
(b) The feature negative anirals should also form a simultaneous
discrimination and confine their responding to the common features whi1e
responding to~ onpoundpound- trials should cease
(c) Although the theory cannot predict the reason for the
failure of the discrimination to be learned when the distinctive featu-e
is on negative trials it has been suggested that it may be regarded
as a failure to learn a conditional discrimination of the type do
not respond to c if d is present If this is indeed the case the
discrimination shOlld be easier v1hen displays that facilitate the
formation of a conditional discrimination are used
22
The following experiments v1ere desitned to specifically
test these predictions of the theory~
Experiment I was essentially a replication of the Jenkins
amp Sainsbury (1967) dot present - dot absent experiment Added to
this design was the recording of the peck location on both positive
and negative displays This additional informatio~ I)ermi tted the
testing of the prediction of localization on pound by feature positive
subjects (prediction~)
CHAPTER TWO
Experiment I
Subjects and ApEaratus
The subjects throughout all experiments were experimentally
naive male White King pigeons five to six years old All pigeons were
supplied by the Palmetto Pigeon Plant South Carolina USA Pigeons
were fed ad lib for at least two weeks after arrival and were then
reduced to 807~ of their ad lib weight by restricted feeding and were
rrain tained within 56 of this level throughout the experiment
A single key pigeon operant conditioning box of a design similar
to that described by Ferster amp Skinner (1957) was used The key was
exposed to the pigeon through a circular hole 1~ inches in diameter in
the centre of the front panel about 10 inches from the floor of the
box Beneath the response key was a square opening through which mixed
grain could be reached when the tray was raised into position Reinforcement
was signalled by lighting of the tray opening while the tray was available
In all of the experiments to be reported reinforcement consisted of a
four second presentation of the tray
Diffuse illumination of the compartment was provided by a light
mounted in the centre of the ceiling
The compartment was also equipped with a 3 inch sperulter mounted
on the lower left hand corner of the front panel A continuous white
23
24
masking noise of 80 db was fed into the spealer from a 901-B Grasonshy
Stadler white noise generator
In this experiment the location of the key peck was recorded
with the aid of carbon paper a method used by Skinner many years ago
but only recently described (Skinner 1965) The front surface of the
paper on which the stimulus appeared was covered with a clear plastic
film that transmitted the local impact of the peck without being marred
Behind the pattern was a sheet of carbon paper and then a sheet of light
cardboard on which the pecks registered This key assembly was mounted
on a hinged piece of aluminum which closed a miniature switch when
pecked In order to keep the pattern of pecks on positive and negative
trials separate two separate keys each with a stimulus display mounted
on the front of it was used The keys themselves were mounted on a motor
driven transport which could be made to position either key directly
behind the circular opening Prior to a trial the transport was moved
either to the left or to the right in order to bring the positive or
negative display into alignment with the key opening The trial was
initiated by the opening of a shutter which was placed between the
circular opening and the transport device At the same time the display
was front lighted by 6 miniature bulbs (Chicago Hiniature Lamps CN8-680)
mounted behind a diffusing plastic collar placed around the perimeter
of the circular opening At the conpletion of the trial the display
went dark the shutter closed and the transport was driven to a neutral
position The shutter remained closed until the onset of the next trial
The experiment was controlled by a five channel tape reader
25
relay switching circuits and timers Response counts were recorded on
impulse counters
Stimuli
In this experiment one stimulus consisted of a white uniformly
illuminated circular field The second stimulus contained the distinctive
feature which was a black dot 18 inch in diameter whlch appeared on
a uniformly illuminated field The position of the dot was varied in an
irregular sequence among the four locations given by the centers of
imaginary quadrants of the circular key The dot was moved at the midshy
point of each training session (after 20 positive and 20 negative trials)
Training
A discriminated trial procedure (Jenkins 1965) was used in which
trials were marked from the between trial intervals by the lighting of
the response key The compartment itself remained illuminated at all
times All trials positive and negative were terminated (key-light
off) by four pecks or by external control when the maximum trial duration
of seven seconds elapsed before four pecks were made On positive trials
the tray operated immediately after the fourth peck Four pecks are
referred to as a response unit The intervals between trials were
irregular ranging from 30 to 90 seconds with a mean of 60 seconds
Two phases of training preceded differential training In the
first phase the birds were trained to approach quickly and eat from the
grain tray The method of successive approximation was then used to
establish the required four responses to the lighted key Throughout
the initial training the positive pattern was on the key Following
26
initial training which was usually completed in one or two half hour
sessions three automatically programmed pre-differential training
sessions each consisting of 60 positive trials were run
A gono-go discrimination was then trained by successive
presentation of an equal number of positive and negative trials in a
random order Twelve sessions of differential tra~ning each consisting
of 4o positive and 40 negative trials were run The location of the
feature was changed at the mid-point of each session that is after
the presentation of 20 positive and 20 negative trials Positive and
negative trials were presented in random sequences with the restriction
that each block of 40 trials contained 20 positive and 20 negative trials
and no more than three positive or three negative trials occurred in
succession
Measure of Performance
By the end of pre-differential training virtually all positive
trials were being completed by a response unit With infrequent exceptions
all positive trials continued to be completed throughout the subsequent
differential training Development of discrimination was marked by a
reduction in the probability of completing a response unit on negative
trials The ratio of responses on positive trials to the sum of responses
on positive and negative trials was used as a measure of discrimination
Complete discrimination yields a ratio of 10 no discrimination a ratio
of 05 The four-peck response unit was almost always completed if the
first response occurred Therefore it makes little difference whether
one simply counts completed and incompleted response units or the actual
number of responses The ratio index of performance is based on responses
27
per trial for all the experiments reported in this thesis
Ten subjects were divided at random into two groups of five One
group was trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial
the other group was trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
Results1
The average course of discrimination in Experiment 1 is shown
in Figure 4 All of the animals trained with the dot on the positive
trial learned the discrimination That is responses continued to
occur on the positive trials while responses failed to occur on the
negative trials None of the five animals trained with the dot on
negative trials learned the discrimination This is evidenced by the 50
ratio throughout the training period Typically the feature positive
animals maintained asymptotic performance on positive trials while
responding decreased on negative trials Two of the five feature positive
animals learned the discrimination with very few errors During all of
discrimination training one animal made only 4 negative responses while
the other made 7 responses Neither animal completed a single response
unit on a negative trial
1A detailed description of the data for each animal appears in Appendix A
28
Figure 4 Median ratio of responses on positive trials to total
responses when the distinctive feature (dot) is on positive or
negative trials
29
0 0
0
I 0
I 0
0
0
0
~0 vi 0~
sect
~ I
I
~
I
~ I I I ~
()
c w 0 z
I ()
0 ~ ~ ()
0 lt1gt ()
I ~
Dgt I c ~ c
cu L
1-shy--------- I------1~
copy
~ CXl - (J
0 en CX) (pound)
0 0 0
oqee~
copy
30
Peck Location
Each of the five subjects in the feature positive group of
Experioent 1 centred their pecks on the dot by the end of training Two
of the five centred their responding on the dot during pre-differential
training when the dot appeared on every trial and all trials were
reinforced Centering developed progressively during differential training
in the remaining three subjects
The two subjects that pecked at the dot during pre-differential
training did so even during the initial shaping session Sample records
for one of these animals is shown in Figure 5 The centering of the peck
on the dot followed the changing location of the dot These were the two
subjects that made very few responses on the negative display It is
apparent that the dot controlled the responses from the outset of
training
A typical record made by one of the remaining three feature
positive animals is shown in Figure 6 The points of impact leaves a
dark point while the sweeping lines are caused by the beak skidding
along the surface of the key The first sign of centering occurs in
session 2 As training progresses the pattern becomes more compact in
the area of the dot By session 2 it is also clear that the pecks are
following the location of the dot A double pattern of responding was
particularly clear in sessions 32 and 41 and was produced when the
key was struck with an open beak The location of the peck on the
negative display although diffuse does not seem to differ in pattern
from session to session It is also clear from these records that the
31
Figure 5 Records of peck location for a subject trained with
the dot on the positive trial Durlllg pre-differential training
only positive trials were presented Dot appeared in one of two
possible positions in an irregular sequence within each preshy
differential session PRE 2 - LL is read pre-differential
session number 2 dot in centre of lower left quadrant
Discrimination refers to differential training in which positive
and negative trials occur in random order Location of dot
remains fixed for 20 positive trials after which it changes to
a new quadrant for the remaining 20 positive trials 11 POS UR
is read first discrimination session first 20 positive trials
dot in centre of upper right quadrant
PRE 2- L L
W-7
PRE TRAINING
PRE2-UR
FEATURE POSITIVE
11
DISCRIMINATION
POS-UR 11 NEG
middot~ji ~~
PRE3 -UL PRE3-LR 12 POS-LL 12 NEG
M fiJ
33
Figure 6 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the positive trial Notation as in Figure 5
W- 19 Dot Positive
11 POS-UR 11 NEG 31 POS-LL 31 NEG
12 POS-LL 12 NEG 32 POS-U R 32 NEG
21 POS-UL 21 NEG 41 POS -UL 41 NEG
22 POS-L R 22 NEG 42 POS-L R 42 NEG
35
cessation of responding to the negative display occurred vell after the
localization on the dot had become evident All these features of the
peck location data except for the double cluster produced by the open
beak responding were present in the remaining two animals
None of the animals trained with the dot on the negative trials
centered on the dot during differential training A set of records
typical of the five birds trained under the feature negative condition
are shown in Figure 7 A concentration of responding also appears to
form here but it is located toward the top of the key Further there
seems to be no differentiation in pattern between positive and negative
displays The position of the preferred section of the key also varied
from bird to bird Vfuile the bird shown in Figure 7 responded in the
upper portion of the key other birds preferred the right side or bottom
of the key
There was a suggestion in certain feature negative records that
the peck location was displaced away from the position of the dot The
most favourable condition for observing a shift away from the dot arises
when the dot is moved into an area of previous concentration Two
examples are shown in Figure 8 In the first half of session 6 for
subject W-3 the dot occupies the centre of the upper left quadrant
Pecks on the positive and negative display have their points of impact
at the lower right edge of the key In the second half of the session
the dot was moved to the lower right hand quadrant Although the initial
points of impact of responding on the negative display remained on the
right side of the key they seemed to be displaced upwards away from the
dot A similar pattern of responding was suggested in the records for
36
Figure 7 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for a subject trained with the dot
on the negative trial Notation as in Figure 5
B-45 Dot Negative
12 POS 12 NEG-LL 61 POS 61 NEG-UL
31 POS 31 NEG-UR 91 POS 91 NEG-UR
41 POS 41 NE G-UL 102 POS 102 NEG-LR
51 POS 51 NEG-UR 122 POS 122 N EG-LR
Figure 8 Records of peck location during differential
discrimination training for two subjects trained with the
dot on the negative trial The records for Subject W-3
were taken from the sixth session and those of W-25 from
the twelfth session Notation as in Figure 5
W-3 Dot Negative w- 25 Dot Negative
51 POS middot 61 NEG-Ul 121 POS 121 NEGmiddotUL
52 POS 62 NEG-LR 122 122 N E G-L R
VI
40
W-25 within session 12
Discussion
These results are consistent with those of Jenkins amp Sainsbury
(1967) in that the feature positive effect was clearly demonstrated
The peck location data are also consistent with the implications
of the simultaneous discrimination theory It is clear that the feature
positive animals centered their peck location on the dot The fact that
two feature positive animals centered on the dot from the outset of
training was not predicted by the theory However the result is not
inconsistent with the theory The complete dominance of ~ over pound responses
for whatever reason precludes the gradual acquisition of a simultaneous
discrimination through the action of differential reinforcement As
the subject has never responded to or been reinforced for a response to
pound one would expect little responding to occur when ~ was not present
For the remaining subjects trained under the feature positive
condition the simultaneous discrimination develops during differential
training The formation of the simultaneous discrinination is presumably
as a consequence of differential trainirg However it is possible that
the centering would have occurred naturally as it did in the two subjects
who centered prior to differential training
The successive discrimination appears to lag the formation of
the simultaneous discrimination ofpound andpound on the positive display This
supports the belief that the successive discrimination is dependent on
the formation of the simultaneous discrin1ination
In the feature negative condition the simultaneous discrimination
41
theory predicts the displacement of responses from ~ to pound on negative
trials The evidence for this however was only minimal
CHAPTER THREE
Experiment II
Although the results of Experiment I were consistent
with the simultaneous discrimination theory of the feature
positive effect they leave a number of questions unanswered
First is_the convergence of peck location on the positive
distinctive feature produced by differential training
The peck location data in the feature positive condition
of Experiment I showed the progressive development during
differential training of a simultaneous discrimination within
the positive display (ie peck convergence on the dot) except
in those cases in which centering appeared before differential
training began It is not certain however that the
convergence was forced by a reduction in the average probability
of reinforcement for pound responses that occurs when differential
discrimination training begins It is conceivable that
convergence is always produced not by differential training
but by whatever caused convergence prior to differential training
in some subjects Experiment II was designed to find out whether
the feature converged on within the positive display in fact
depends on the features that are present on the negative display
42
According to the simultaneous discrimination theory
the distinctive feature will be avoided in favour of common
features when it appears on negative trials The results of
Experiment I were unclear on this point The displays used
in Experiment II provided a better opportunity to examine
the question The displays in Experiment II were similar to
the asymmetrical pair in the third row of Figure 1 In the
displays previously used the common feature was a background
on which the distinctive feature appeared In the present
case however both common and distinctive features appear as
localized objects or figures on the ground It is of interest
to learn whether the feature positive effect holds for displays
of this kind
Further the status of common and distinctive features
was assessed by presenting during extinction displays from
which certain parts had been removed By subtracting either
the distinctive feature or common features it was possible to
determine whether or not responding was controlled by the
entire display or by single features within the display
Finally it may be noted that in the previous experiment
as well as the Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) experiments only the
positive display was presented during the pre-differential phase
of training Since the positive display contains the distinctive
feature for subjects trained under the feature positive condition
it can be argued that these subjects begin differential training
44
with an initial advantage Although this interpretation seems
unlikely in that the feature negative subjectG never show signs
of learning the most direct test of it is to reinforce both
types of displays during pre-differential training This was
done in Experiment II Both groups (ie~ feature positive and
feature negative) received equal experience prior to differential
training
Method
The general method of this experiment was the same for
the previous experiment However new apparatus was developed
to permit electro-mechanical recording of response location
Apparatus
Tv1o automatic pigeon key-pecking boxes manufactured by
Lehigh Valley Electronics were used The boxes were of
essentially the same design as that used in Experiment I except
that the diffuse illumination of the compartment was given by
a No 1820 miniature bulb mounted above the key in a housing
which directed the light up against the ceiling of the box
Displays were back projected onto a square surface of
translucent plastic that measured 1 716 inches on a side The
display surface was divided into four equal sections 1116 inch
on a side Each of these sections operated as an independent
response key so that it was possible to determine the sector of
the display on which the response was made The sectors were
separated by a 116 inch metal strip to reduce the likelihood
that more than one sector would be activated by a single peck
A Kodak Carousel Model 800 projector was used to present
the displays The voltage across the bulb was reduced to 50
volts A shutter mounted behind the display surface was used to
control the presentation of the display Both experimental
chambers were equipped in this way One central unit was used
to programme the trial sequence and to record the results from
both chambers Each chamber was serviced in a regularly
alternating sequence
Stimuli
The pairs of displays used in the present experiment and
a notation for the two types of displays are shown in Figure 9
The figures appeared as bright objects on a dark ground They
were located at the center of the sectors One sector of the
display was always blank The circles had a diameter of 4 inch
and the five pointed star would be circumscribed by a circle of
that size
There are 12 spatial arrangements of the figures for a
display containing a distinctive feature and 4 arrangements for
the display containing only common features An irregular
sequence of these arrangements was used so that the location of
the features changed from trial to trial
Recording
As in the previous experiment four pecks anywhere on the
display terminated a trial The number of responses made on each
46
sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli in
each sector were recorded trial by trial n printing counters
These data were manually transferred to punched cards and
analyzed with the aid of a computer
Training
In all six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials
each were run prior to differential discrimination training
Each member of the pair of displays later to be discriminated
middot was presented 36 times All trials were reinforced The maximum
trial duration was 7 seconds Intertrial intervals varied from
44 to 62 seconds The first three sessions of pre-differential
training were devoted to establishing the four-peck response
unit to the display In the first two of these sessions an
autoshaping procedure of the type described by Brown and Jenkins
(1968) was used After training to eat from the grain tray
every 7-seccnd trial-on period was automatically followed at
the offset of the trial by a 4-second tray operation unless a
response occurred during the trial In that event the trial
was terminated immediately and the tray was operated Of the 16
animals exposed to this procedure 5 had not pecked by the end of
the second session The key peck was quickly established in
these animals by the usual procedure of reinforcing successive
approximations to the peck In the third session of initial
training the tray operated only following a response to the trial
The number of responses required was raised gradually from one to
47
Figure 9 Two pairs of displays used in Experiment II
and a general notation representing distinctive and common
features
0
48
0 0
0
1~r~ -middotmiddotj__middot-middot
~---middotmiddot~middot-~middotmiddot~J c = comn1on featurec cc c
middotc-shyd d = distinctive feature lld~~~-~=--=s~
49
four The remaining three sessions of pre-differential training
were run with the standard response requirement of four pecks
before 7 seconds
Twelve sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial interval were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive or reinforced
display and 36 presentations of the negative display The
sequence of presentations was random except for the restriction
of not more than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
After the completion of 12 training sessions 5 sessions
of 72 trials each were run in extinction On each session 6
different displays were presented twice in each of 6 randomized
blocks of 12 presentations The displays consisted of the
o~iginal pair of positive and negative displays and four other
displays on which just one or two figures (circles or stars)
appeared The new displays will be specified when the test
results are reported
Design
There were two pairs of displays one pair in which the
circle was the distinctive feature (stars common) and one pair
in which the star was the distinctive feature (circles common)
Within each pair the display containing the distinctive feature
50
was either positive or negative The combinations resulted in
four conditions To each condition four subjects were assigned
at random All conditions were run equally in each of the two
experimental boxes
Results
The training results are presented for each of the
feature positive groups in Figures 10 and 11 The median values
for two discrimination ratios are plotted The index for the
successive discrimination is as before the ratio of responses
on the positive display to total responses A similar ratio is
used as an index of the development of a simultaneous discrimination
within the display containing the distinctive feature namely the
ratio of responses made on a sector containing the distinctive
feature to the total responses on all sectors of the display
The results for subjects trained with the distinctive
feature of a circle on positive trials are shown in Figure 10
During pre-differential training (first three sessions shown on
the far left) virtually all positive and negative trials were
completed by response units yielding a ratio of 05 for the index
of successive discrimination The ratio of circle responses to all
responses within the positive display averaged 52 during preshy
differential training Since a negligible number of responses
occur on the blank sector the ratio expected ori the basis of an
equal distribution of responses to circle ru1d star is approximately
51
Figure 10 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on positive trial (see
text for explanation of index for simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display)
0
Lo ~r---------------1 o-o-_~ I -o9 I1middot oa fttshyri
oi-
Ibull
-t-J (lj 06~-I 0 t
Wbullthbulln
o--o-o bull05r o-o-0c
(lj j 0 041-shy(i)
~2 ~
03 tshy1
02 rshy1
01 ~ I
0 B I I j 1 2 3
---gPos~1
I middot ooII POS
I
I I
I o I
I 0--0I I
I
1 2
[]-~
I bull
o
_ SUCCESSIVE
I I I
3 4 5 6
Training Sessions
ltDlto _o=8=g==o - o o--o-
i NEG II~ I~ I I
1
i i Ibull i
~
r~
I -l -~7 8 9 10 11 1~2 [)
53
Figure 11 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature ou positive trial
10
0 9 i-I I
08 ~ i ~ ~o7 I
0 ~ i fU ~-et
o s L o--o-o c 1 ro D 04 ~ CJ ~ 2
03 r ~ _
021shy
I ~
o
t1
0 1 ~-
___ _o O i I_ _
0 I I
2 3
1 I p OS NEG
0 I
I~ 0 I [ ~ I 1 o-shyI oI I SUCCESSIVE I ~
I o--o-0 -o--o
I oI I
0
I
I
01~within Pos
I II
I
I --0o
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Training Sessions
0 -o ~ iI
g~ 0 I 0 I
o---9 11 ~
8 9 10 11 12
t
55 33 The ratios obtained consistently exceeded this value in
three of the four subjects reflecting a preference for pecking
the circle The remaining animal distributed its responses about
equally between circle and star
Differential training produced a sharp increase in the
ratio of circle responses to all responses within the positive
display as shown by the index of simultaneous discrimination
within the positive display After the response had converged
on the circle within positive displays responding on the negative
display began to drop out This is shown by a rising value of the
index of successive discrimination Each of the four subjects
developed a clear successive discrimination The range of values
for the index of successive discrimination on the last session
was 93 to 10
Results for those trained with the star as the distinctive
feature on the positive display are shown in Figure 11 In the
pre-differential phase of training the star was avoided in
favour of the circle by all four animals During differential
training responses within the positive display shifted toward the
star However an average of five sessions was required before
the initial preference for circle over star had been reversed
The successive discrimination was correspondingly slow to develop
One subject did not show a clear preference for the star over the
circle within the positive display until the twelfth session
Its index for the simultaneous discrimination in that session was
56
only 48 and the successive discrimination failed to develop
In the remaining three subjects the index of successive
discrimination in the last session ranged from 96 to 10
In both groups of feature positive subjects the
~gtimultaneous discrimination developed prior to the formation of
the successive discrimination Figures 12 and 13 are representative
of the performance of the subjects in each of the feature positive
groups
It should be noted at this point that although only
four reqponses were required on any given trial some subjects
responded so rapidly that five responses were made before the
trial could be terminated Thus while there was a theoretical
ceiling of 144 responses per session for each type of trial some
subjects managed to exceed this value Both subjects represented
in Figure 12 and 13 exceeded the 144 responses at some point in
training
From Figures 12 and 13 it is clear that responding to
c on pound-trials declined prior to the decline in responding to
c on _pound-only trials Further as responding to pound on pound-trials
decreased so also did the percentage of total pound responses that
were reinforced During session one 50 percent of the pound responses
made by subject B-66 were reinforced By session three however
only 39 percent were reinforced and by session four 29 percent
Only after this level was reached did the subject start to
decrease responding topound on pound-only trials Similarly only 33
57
Figure 12~ Total number of responses made to common
elements on poundE trials and on _s-only trials during each
session of training for subject B-66 The distinctive
feature (circle) appeared on positive trials
58
o-obullj ~(
bull
1 2
180
0 ~ o-o B-66
POS NEG
1 1 II
bull I I
Ien I
I en I c I 0 I a RESPONSE TO ~ en I bull 0~ON c -ONLY TRIALS 0 I
I
0 I I I
L I I8 I RESPONSE TO ~E I
J I ~-ON c d TRIALS z I
I 0 I
I ~ I
I
I 0 I I I I I I I I I I
bullmiddot-middotI I bull bull -bull o_o_I 0 I I 0L_L_L_L~--bull-~-_-middot0- 0 11 12
2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Training Sessions
59
Figure 13 Total number of responses made to common elements
on pound~ trials and on pound-only trials during each session of
training for subject B-68 The distinctive feature (star)
appeared on positive trials
60
180
I
0-o I I I I
I B-68 POS NEG
01 I I I 1 II I I I I I I I I I
SPONSE TO II RE ONLY TRIALS ON c-I I I I I I I
e-o I bull
I
RESPONSE TO ~
ON c d -TRIALS
------middot-middot
bull bull- bull_ ~ o-o -o-oo-=--o-oshy0 I I I u 10 11 12I~I 56 7 8 92 3 2 3
Training Sessions
61
percent of the pound responses made by subject B-68 were reinforced
on session one and on session two this percentage dropped to 8
percent Responding to pound on pound-only trials did not dimish
however until session three
Of the eight feature positive subjects five subjects
decreased their responding topound on pound-only trials (ie a decline
of 20 or more in pound-only responses from one session to the next)
only after the percentage of reinforcedpound responses averaged
2between 2 and 12 percent Two subjects (one from each group)
showed ~evelopment of the successive discrimination (a decline
of 20 percent or more in pound-only responses from one session to
the next) when the percentace of pound responses that were reinforced
averaged 20 and 36 percent respectively The eighth subject
failed to form a successive discrimination
Although the averaged data shown in Figures 10 and 11
show a more gradual curve of learning when the star was the
distinctive feature (Figure 11) individual learning curves show
that once the discrimination begins to form it proceeds at about
the same rate in both groups3
2The average percent of pound responses that were reinforced was calculated by averaging the percentage for the session on which the 20 percent decrease in responding on pound-only trials was observed with the percentage for the previous session
3session by session response data for individual subjects may be found in Appendix B
62
A comparison of Figures 10 and 11 suggests that the rate
of formation of the successive discrimination depended on the degree
of initial preference for the distinctive feature during preshy
differential training This is borne out by an examination of
individual performance For the eight animals trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials the rank order correlation
between the mean ratio for the simultaneous discrimination during
the three sessions of pre-differential training and the mean ratio
for successive discrimination taken over the twelve sessions of
differential training was +90
Results for the two groups trained with the distinctive
feature on negative trials are shown in Figure 14 (circle is
distinctive feature) and 15 (star is distinctive feature) The
results for pre-differential training replicate those obtained
in the feature-positive group An initial preference for the circle
over the star was again evident ~Jring differential training
responses to the distinctive feature within the negative display
diminished in f3vour of responses to the common feature Although
it is clear in every case that avoidance of the distinctive feature
increased as training continued the process was more pronounced
when the circle was the distinctive feature (Figure 14) since
the circle was initially preferred Responses to the star when
it served as the distinctive feature (Figure 15) on the other
hand were relatively infrequent even at the outset of differential
4t ra~n~ng
4A more complete description of the peck location results for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
63
Figure ~4 Median discrimination indices for group trained
with circle as distinctive feature on negative trial
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
() (J)
CJ) c c cu L Ishy
00
I J
oo1
0 0) co ([) 1[) (Y) J
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65
Figure 15 Hedian discrimination indices for group trained
with star as distinctive feature on negative trial
G6
0
I 0
I 0
0
I lil 0
~ I ~ ~0
I 0
0
I 0
I 0
I 0
- (J
(f)
c 0 (f) (f)
lt1gt tJ)
(1)
c c co L ~-
0 0
I 0 0
I 0 0
0 (]) 1- ([) I[) M (Jco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
67
None of the eight subjects trained with the distinctive
feature on the negative trial showed a significant reduction of
responses to the negative trial A successive discrimination
did not develop in the feature negative condition
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on positive trials developed the successive
discrimination a clear feature positive effect was obtained
A statistical comparison of the successive discrimination indices
on the last session of training yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 55 P lt 01)5
The relative frequency of responding to various displays
during extinction test sessions is shown for each of the four
groups in Figure 16 A simple pattern was evident for animals
trained with the distinctive feature on the positive trial All
displays containing the distinctive feature were responded to at
approximately the same high level regardless of whether or how
many com~on features accompanied the distinctive feature The
distinctive feature functioned as an isolated element independent
of the context afforded by the common features All displays not
containing the distinctive feature evoked a relatively low level
of responding
Results for subjects trained with the distinctive feature
on the negative trial were somewhat more complex The displays
5A Mann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons All probabilities are for a two tailed test
68
Figure 16 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups of Experiment II Displays labelled positive and
negative are those used in discrimination training but
during the test all trials were nonreinforced Position
of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during the test sessions The open bars represent
subjects trained with the circle as the distinctive feature
while striped bars represent the subjects trained with the
star as the distinctive feature
feature positive 36
32
28
24
20shy
()
() 1 6 ()
c 0 12 -0
~ 8 0
4
0 POS NEG
+shy0 ~ cl EJD
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TG
feature negative24
20
c 16 ro D () 12
2 8
4 ~ ~L-0
POS NEG
~~-c Jl~ c] DEJ T2 T1 T4 T3 TG T5
TEST STIMULI
70
that were positive (T2) and negative (Tl) during training evoked
approximately an equal nu~ber of responses in extinction A
statistical evaluation yielded a non-significant difference between
6the performance on the two displays ( T = 10 P gt 10) bull The failure
of successive discrimination during training continues during middot
extinction tests A comparison of the number of responses made
to displays T3 and T4 indicated that the display containing the
distinctive feature and one common feature evoked on the average
a little less responding than the display containing just two
common features Seven of the eight animals showed a difference
in this direction the remaining animal responded equally to the
two displays One cannot conclude from this however that the
distinctive feature reduced responding to the common features since
the difference might also be attributed to the removal of one
common feature Indeed when the level of responding to display
T6 was compared with that for the display containing one common
feature plus the distinctive feature (T3) it was found that the
levels were entirely indistinguishable The most striking effect
was that the display containing only the distinctive feature (T5)
evoked a much lower level of responding in every animal than any
display containing one or more common features It is therefore
clear that the distinctive feature was discriminated from the
common feature as one would expect from the training results on
6A Wilcoxen matched-pairs Signed-ranks T~st was used for comparing the perfor~ance of the same animal on different displays
71
the simultaneous discrimination The failure to discriminate
between the originally positive and negative displays does not
reflect a failure to discriminate between common and distinctive
features Ra tJur it reflects the strong tendency to respond
to a common feature regardless of the presence or absence of the
distinctive feature on the same display
Discussion
The results of Experiment II answer a number of the
questions posed by the simultaneous discrimination theory and
resolve a number of the uncertainties left by Experiment I The
feature positive effect is still clearly evident Further this
effect cannot be attributed to any presumed advantage to the
feature positive group owing to the presence of the distinctive
feature during pre-differential training for that group It may
be remembered that in the present experiment all animals were
exposed to the distinctive feature during pre-differential
training
Secondly it is now clear that convergence on the
distinctive feature within the positive display can be forced by
differential training Although there ~ere some strong tendencies
to peck at one shape rather than another during pre-differential
training the same physical stimulus (star or circle) was converged
on or avoided depending on whether it served as a distinctive
feature or a common feature
It is also clear that when the distinctive feature was
72
placed on the negative display differential training caused the
location of the peck to move away from the distinctive feature
toward the common feature
These results then agree at least qualitatively with
the simultaneous discrimination theory Vfuen the distinctive
feature was on the positive display the response converged on it
in preference to the common feature ~~en the distinctive feature
was on the negative display the response moved away from it toward
the common feature Convergence on the distinctive feature within
the positive display drives the probability of reinforcement for
a response to common features toward zero and thus allows the
successive discrimination to form On the other hand divergence
from the distinctive feature within the negative display leaves the
probability of reinforcement for a response to common features
at 5 and the response therefore continued to occur to both
members of the pair of displays
The failure of the successive discrimination to develop in
the feature negative case may be ascribed to the inability of
the pigeon to form a conditional discrimination The animal was
required to learn that the same common feature say a circle
which predicts reinforcement when not accompanied by a star
predicts nonreinforcement when the star is present on the same
display Response to the circle must be made conditional upon
the presence or absence of the star Although it is clear that
the star was discriminated from the circle the presence of the
star failed to change the significance of the circle
CHAPTER FOUR
Experiment III
It has been suggested that the failure of the feature
negative subjects to withhold responding on negative trials may
be regarded as a failure to form a conditional discrimination
While both groups learn through reinforcement the significance
of c and d as independent elements the feature negative subjects
must in addition learn to withhold responses to pound when d is
present Thus the failure of the feature negative subjects to
learn would seem to be a failure of d to conditionalize the response
to c The feature positive subjects on the other hand need
only learn to respond to ~ and are therefore not required to
conditionalize their response to ~ on the presence of any other
stimulus
This interpretation suggests a modification of the displays
that might be expected to facilitate the formation of the
discrimination It seems likely that the influence of d on c
responses would be enhanced by decreasing the spatial separation
between c and d elements This could be accomplished by presenting
the elements in more compact clusters In the previous experiment
no c element was more than one inch from a d element on the pound~
display so that both elements were very probably within the
73
74
visual field in the initial stage of approach to the key
However in the final stages of the peck perhaps the d element
was outside the visual field However that may be a decrease
in separation between pound and ~ elements would ensure that both
were at or near the centre of the visual field at the same time
The extensive literature on the effects of separation
between cue and response on discrimination learning (Miller amp
Murphy 1964 Murphy ampMiller 1955 1958 Schuck et al 1961
Stollnitz amp Schrier 1962 Stollnitz 1965) is suggestive in
the present connection However a number of assumptions are
required to coordinate those experiments with the present
discrimination task
If compacting the display facilitates a conditional
discrimination its effect should be specific to the feature
negative condition since as was suggested a conditional
discrimination is not involved in the feature positive condition
The present experiment permits a comparison of the effect of
compacting the display on discrimination learning in both the
feature positive and feature negative arrangements
It is hypothesized that making the display more compact
will facilitate the development of the successive discrimination
in the feature negative case but will have little or no effect
on performance in the feature positive case
Several additional implications of the view that the
effectiveness of a negative distinctive feature in preventing a
75
response to pound depends on its proximity to pound are explored in
a special test series following differential discrimination
training
In Experiment II a strong initial preference for
pecking at the circle was evident during pre-differential
training In an effort to reduce this preference new stimuli
were used in Experlllent III Red and green circles on a dark
ground were chosen as stimuli on the basis of the resul1sof a
preliminary experiment which was designed to select two colours
which would be responded to approximately equally often when
both were presented on a single display7
In Experiment III four elements appeared on each display
The elimination of the blank sector used in Experiment II
allowed a more accurate assessment of the role of position
preference in the formation of the discrimination In Experiment
II the blank sector was rarely responded to and therefore
affected the pattern of responding so that if the blank appeared
in the preferred sector the animal was forced to respond in
another sector In Experiment III the animal may respond in
any sector Therefore the response should be controlled only
by position preference and element preference
7A description of the preliminary experiment as well as a discussion of the failure of the results to predict element preferences in the present experiment may be found in Appendix D
76
Method
The same general method as was used in the previous
experiments was used here The apparatus was identical to
that used in Experiment II
Stimuli
A representation of the training and test displays
used in the present experiment are shown in Figure 17 Figure
17 contains the notation system previously employed in Experiment
II instead of the actual stimuli Again pound refers to common
elements while ~ represents the distinctive feature In the
distributed condition one circle appeared in the center of each
sector of the display The circles were separated by 1216 of
an inch (from centre to centre) The diagonal circles were 1516
of an inch apart
In the compact condition the 18 inch coloured circles
all appeared in one sector of the display The circles were
separated by 316 of an inch from centre to centre The diagonal
circles were 516 of an inch apart
The circles were coloured either red or green The physical
and visual properties of these stimuli are described in the method
section of Appendix D The circles were of the same size brightness
and colour in the distributed and compact displays
There were four spatial arrangements of the distributed
display which contained the distinctive feature A random sequence
of these arrangements was used so that the location of the feature
varied from trial to trial Each arrangement appeared equally
77
Figure 17 Pairs of displays used in Experiment III As
before poundrefers to common features while the distinctive
feature is represented by ~middot
78
TRAINING DISPLAYS
Feature Positive Feature Negative + +
c c
d c
c c
c c
c c
c c
c c
d c
c c
d c
c c c c c c c c c cd c c c d c
TEST DISPLAYS
c c c c d c c c
1 2 3
c c
c c c c d cd c c c
6 7 8
c c
c c
79 often during an experimental session Similarly on the compact
display there were four spatial arrangements within each sector
There were also four possible sectors that could be used This
yielded sixteen possible displays containing the distinctive
feature and four which contained only common elements These
displays were also presented in a random order Each type of
distinctive feature display appeared at least twice during an
experimental session and each display had appeared 9 times within
blocks of four sessions Each type of common trial appeared
equally often during an experimental session
Recording
As in all the previous experiments four responses
anywhere on the display terminated the trial The number of
responses made to each sector of the display and the elements
present on each sectorwererecorded These data were recorded
on paper tape and analyzed with the aid of a computer
No peck location data were available for the compact
groups because the four elements appeared on a single sector of
the display Thus the formation of a simultaneous discrimination
in the compact condition could not be examined
Training
Six sessions consisting of 72 reinforced trials each
were run prior to differential training Thirty-six common
trials and 36 distinctive feature trials were presented and
reinforced during each session The maximum trial duration was
7 seconds while intertrial intervals ranged between 41r and 62
Bo seconds
As in Experiment II three sessions were devoted to
establishing the four-peck response unit to the display In
the first two of these sessions an auto-shaping procedure
identical to that used in Experiment II was employed Of the
32 subjects exposed to the auto-shaping procedure only 4 failed
to make a response by the end of sessio~ two The key peck was
quickly established in these animals by the reinforcing of
successive approximations to the peck In the third session of
pre-differential training the tray operated only following a
response to the trial The number of responses required was
gradually raised to four The remaining three pre-differential
training sessions were run with the standard response requirement
of four pecks before seven seconds in effect
Sixteen sessions of differential discrimination training
were run The trial duration and intertrial intervals were as
in the pre-differential sessions Each differential session
consisted of 36 presentations of the positive display and 36
presentations of the negative display The sequence of
presentations was random except for the restriction of not more
than three consecutive positive or negative trials
Post-discrimination Training Tests
At the completion of training extinction tests were
run in which the eight types of displays shown in Figure 17 were
presented The order of presentation was randomized vtithin blocks
81
of 24 trials in which each of the eight display types appeared
three times A session consisted of 3 blocks making a total of
72 trials 9 of each type Five sessions were run
Design
Eight groups of subjects were used in a 2 x 2 x 2
factorial design which is shown in Table 1 The factors were
compact - distributed feature positive - feature negative
and red - green distinctive feature The distributed groups
in this experiment are simply a replication of Experiment II with
the exception of the change in stimuli used All conditions were
run equally in each of two experimental boxes
Results
Training Results
Terminal performance The mean successive discrimination
index on the last session of training for each group is shown
in Table 2 It is clear that while the means for the feature
positive groups do not differ the means for the two compact
feature negative groups are considerably higher than those for
the distributed feature negative groups Thus it would appear
that while compacting the displays aided the discrimination in
the feature negative condition it had little effect in the
feature positive condition
A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance was performed
using the successive discrimination index scores on the last
session of training The results of this analysis may be found
inTable 3 Two of the main factors (distributed-compact and
feature positive-feature negative) produced significant effects
82
Table 1
Experimental Design Used in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Positive N = 4 N = 4
Red Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Green Feature Negative N = 4 N = 4
Note N refers to the number of subjects used
83
Table 2
Mean Successive Discrimination Indices on the Last Session
of Training for All Eight Groups in Experiment III
Display Condition
Distributed Compact
Red Feature Positive 99 -97 Green Feature Positive 87 96
Red Feature Negative 54 85 Green Feature Negative 51 -73
84
The red-green factor was not statistically significant From
this it is clear that the colour of the distinctive feature had
no effect on the final level of discrimination The only intershy
action which proved to be significant was between distributedshy
compact and the feature positive-feature negative variables
This result is consistent with the prediction t~at compacting
should only aid the discrimination in the feature negative case
The remainder of the results section is concerned with
the course of learning within the several groups as well as
more detailed comparisons of the final performance levels of
these groups
Distributed groups During pre-differential training
13 of the 16 subjects in the distributed groups exhibited an
above chance level preference for red circles The mean
proportion of responses made to red circles during pre-differential
training for each subject are shown in Table 4 All four red
feature positive subjects responded at an above chance level
(chance = 25) to the red circles Similarly all four green
feature positive subjects showed this preference for red circles
(chance level= 75) In the red feature negative group one
subject failed to respond to the red circle during pre-differential
training while the remaining three subjects responded at an above
chance level (chance = 25) to the red circle In the green
feature negative group the results are less clear One subject
responded at a chance level (75) while one subject preferred to
Table 3
Analysis of Variance for the Last Session of Training
Source df MS F
Distributed-Compact 1 177013 1276 Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 690313 4975 Red-Green 1 37813 273 Distributed-Compact x Feature Positive-Feature Negative 1 108113 ) 779 Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 3-13 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Red-Green 1 113 Feature Positive-Feature Negative x Distributed-Compact x Red-Green 1 19010 137 Within 24 13875
bull p lt 05 p lt 01
Table 4
Proportion of Responses on cd-display Made to Red Circle During Pre-differential Training for
Individual Subjects (Distributed Groups)
Condition
Red Feature Positive Green Feature Positive Red Feature Negative Green Feature Negative (chance = 25) (chance = 75) (chance = 25) (chance = 75)
32 -97 56 75
34 10 43 91
74 10 36 87
61 85 oo 46
0 00
87
respond to the green circles~ The remaining two subjects had a
strong preference for the red circles It is clear then that
the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the strong
initial preferences for one element over another
The simultaneous and successive discrimination ratios
for the four groups that received distributed displays during
pre-differential and differential train~g are presented in
Figures 18 and 19 All four of the red feature positive
subjects (Figure 18) learned the successive discrimination while
three of the four green feature positive subjects (Figure 19)
learned the discrimination Without exception all the feature
positive subjects that learned the successive discrimination
showed evidence of learning a simultaneous discrimination prior
8to the formation of the successive discrimination The one
subject that failed to develop a successive discrimination also
failed to show a simultaneous discrimination
It is clear from Figures 18 and 19 that the group trained
with the red circle as the distinctive feature learned the
discrimination more quickly than the group trained with the green
circle as the distinctive feature The red feature positive
subjects took an average of three sessions to reach a successive
discrimination index of 80 while green feature positive subjects
took an average of eleven or twelve sessions to reach the same
8session by session data for each subject may be found in Appendix C
88
Figure 18 Hedian discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
positive trial
CD
1 VI
0 0 c
0 IIJ 0 bull c ~~ IIJ L
I a 0
IIJ
L OlI ~ z~ II III middoty~
olvmiddot 0 u
1 ()
0 bull c 0 I ()0 0 () (J)
0 bull 1
II 0 bull 0gt
cIV w cG) gt 0 L~ ~ rshyio g
~ middot~ 0bull 0
ymiddot I
bull 0
bull 0
0 co I CD ltt C1 0gt 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
oqDCJ UDP8VJ
90
Figure 19 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with the green circle as distinctive feature
on the positive trial
1 0
09
08
0 7 0 middot shy+-
060 0
o 5l o-0 -o c 0 middot shy0 0 4 (])
2 03
0 2
0 1
I --middot 0 1 2 3
bull
I0
SUCCESSIVE
o-o-o-0-0---o--o7-o-o middot POS NEG
lcCl fCCl ~ ~
bull d =-green
c =-red
bull bullbull~middot-middot
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Training Sessions
--bull-middot - o-o-bull_bull- o-obull
0
92
level A comparison of the overall mean ratios of the successive
discrimination for the 16 sessions yielded a significant difference
between the two groups (U = 0 P lt05) 9bull This difference between
the two groups is related to the colour preference evident during
pre-differential training The rank order correlation between
the mean ratio for simultaneous discrimination during the three
pre-differential training sessions and ~he mean ratio for
successive discrimination over the sixteen sessions of differential
training was bull77 ( P lt 05)
A comparison of the successive discrimination ratios on
the last session of training revealed that there were no significant
differences between the red and green feature positive groups (U =
45 P) 10) Thus while colour affected the rate of learning
it had no effect on the final level of discrimination
None of the feature negative subjects that received
distributed displays learned the successive discrimination Figures
20 and 21 trace the performance of the red and green feature
negative groups throughout training
During differential training responses shifted away from
the distinctive feature toVIard the common feature In the red
feature negative group the transition took an average of only two
sessions Similarly in the green feature negative group those
animals that initially pecked at the distinctive feature only took
one or two sessions to shift completely away The results are less
9A Hann Whitney U Test was used for between group comparisons The probability values are all for a two-tailed test
93
Figure 20 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with red circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09
08
07 0 middot shy+- 0 06
0
c 05~0-~-0 I
0 I
0 (1) 04t
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
POS
lcCl ~
SUCCESSIVE
o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o~o
bull
Within Neg middot~
NEG
reel ~
d =red
c =green
o--o~o--o
bull-bull-bull
bull bull -- -_- bull 11 2 13 middot=middot-=middot=-middot-1415 161-----=middot~~-t-- - 9 1 01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ~
Training Sessions
95
Figure 21 Median discrimination indices for distributed
group trained with green circle as distinctive feature on the
negative trial
1 o
09 POS NEG
reel reel 08 ~ ~ 07 c -=red
0 middot shy d =green +- 0 06
I SUCCESSIVE
0
05 ~ o~0-o o--o--o--o--o--o--0--o--o--o-o--o--o__o__o--o c 0 -
D 04 lt1)
2 03 I bull
021shy
bullI 0 1
0
2 3
bull ~ 0
I I 1 2 3
Within Neg middot-shy middot--middot ~ middot--~ --middot-middot-- ----middot-middot-middot 8 1 1 I I I I 1 0 I 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 164 5 6
Training Sessions
9
clear for those animals that pecked at a low level at the
distinctive feature during pre-differential training Essentially
the simultaneous discrimination was already formed and the response
level to the distinctive feature remained at or below the preshy
10differential leve1
Since seven of the eight subjects trained with the
distinctive feature on the positive display developed a successive
discrimination and none of the eight feature negative subjects
did so a clear feature positive effect was obtained A comparison
of the successive discrimination ratios on the last training session
yielded a significant difference between the two groups (U = 55
P ltOl)
Compact groups The results for the red and green feature
positive groups are plotted in Figure 22
All eight feature positive subjects learned the successive
discrimination Further there were no significant differences
between the red and green feature positive groups when the mean
ratios of the successive discrimination over the sixteen training
sessions were compared U = 4 PgtlO) A comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of training
also proved not to be significant (U = 75 P gt10) Thus unlike
the results for the distributed groups colour appeared to have
no effect on the rate with which the discrimination was acquired
The median ratios of discrimination for the red and green
10A detailed description of the peck location data for the feature negative subjects may be found in Appendix E
98
Figure 22 ~1edian discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the positive
trial
1 o --------------------~middot----middot-e-bull-middot--~e===e==-e
09
08
07 0 + 0 06
0
o 5 1- e-=ie c 0
0 04 ()
2 03
02
01
0 1 2 3
-- ~ ~0--0~ 0
0 o-o
bull
e-e-e-=Q-0
POS NEG
n n[LJ lampJ
bull-bull d =Red
0-0 d =Green
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 0
Sessions
100
compact feature negative groups are plotted in Figure 23
In the red feature negative group all four subjects
gave some indication of learning the discrimination One
animal showed a complete discrimination (ratio of 10) while
the remaining three animals had ratios of 66 83 and90 on
the last session of training
In the green feature negative group three subjects gave
evidence of a discrimination (individual ratios were 67 80
and 92) while the remaining subject reached a maximum ratio
of only 54 on the sixteenth session of differential training
As in the compact feature positive condition the
assignment of red or green as the distinctive feature played
no role in the formation of the discrimination There were no
significant differences between the mean successive discrimination
ratios of the red and green feature negative groups over the
sixteen training sessions (U = 5 P gt10) There was also no
difference between the successive discrimination ratios on the
last session of training (U = 5 P gt10)
Although there was clear evidence of learning in the
feature negative groups when the displays were compact a
comparison of Figures 22 and 23 indicates that even for compact
displays the discrimination achieved by the feature positive
subjects was superior to that achieved by the feature negative
subjects In the feature positive condition a successive
discrimination ratio of 90 was reached by every subject and
McMASIER UNIYERSIIt LIBRA~
lOl
Figure 23 Median discrimination indices for both compact
groups trained with the distinctive feature on the negative
trial
----------
102
I 0bull
0
bull
I 0
bull
middot~ I 0
0~
I 0bull
middot~0 ltD
f)
~0 ~
0 ~ ~ shy~Q
c
n lt9z uu eo II II
0 0 I I I
agt
IIbull 0
G)~Q bull 0
~uu f)
I f)
~ ltD
r--------- shyf)
~
~ f)
()- I)-
ltt-
- (I)
ltI-
-
0- shy
C1)-
- co
()- I shy c 0
()- () ()
I) (])-
()
- ltt
(I)-
- ltI
-
- (I)
- ltI
-
0 C1) co I shy () I) ~ (I) ltI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OlOCJ UOP80-J
103
the average number of sessions required was 36 On the other
hand only 3 of the 8 subjects in the feature negative condition
reached a value as high as 90 and these three subjects required
on the average of 66 sessions to do so A comparison of the
mean successive discrimination ratios for the 16 training
sessions yielded a significant difference between the feature
positive and the feature negative groups (U = 35 P lt01)
Similarly a comparison of the successive discrimination ratios
on the last session of training also produced a significant
difference between these two groups (U = 8 P lt Ol) Thus a
feature positive effect was still evident when the common and
distinctive features were presented in clusters
Distributed vs compact It is clear from the results
thus far that while colour affected the rate of learning when
the distributed displays were used (ie the red feature
positive subjects learned more quickly than the green feature
positive subjects) it did not affect the rate of learning in
the compact groups Although there were no preference data
available for the compact groups this result would suggest that
element preference is reduced by placing the elements in close
proximity of one another
The average course of learning for the compact feature
positive subjects (ie on average disregarding red and green
distinctive features) fell between the learning curves for the red and
green distributed feature positive groups The compact feature positive
104
subjects took an average of two or three sessions longer to
start the discrimination than the distributed red feature
positive subjects and on average of five sessions less than
the distributed green feature positive subjects
Within the feature positive condition there were no
significant differences attributable to compactas compared
with distributed displays A statistical comparison of the
successive discrimination ratios on the last session of
training for the compact and distributed feature positive
groups resulted in a non-significant difference (U = 195
P ~ 10) The difference between the mean successive
discrimination ratios for these groups over the sixteen
training sessions was also not statistically significant (U =
30 p gt40)
A comparison of the final successive discrimination
ratios of the compact feature negative subjects and the
distributed feature negative subjects yielded a significant
difference between the two groups (U = 2 PltOOl) A similar
result was obtained when the mean successive discrimination
ratios over the sixteen training sessions were compared (U = 8 PltOl) The discriminative performance of the compact
feature negative subjects was very much superior to that of
the distributedmiddot feature negative subjects Thus it is clear
that the compacting of the display made the discrimination
significantly easier when the distinctive feature appeared on
105
negative trials
Test Results
Let us turn now to a consideration of the test results
It has been suggested that the successive discrimination in the
feature negative case is learned in compact displays because of
the close proximity of d to c The proximity m~kes it possible
for the presence of ~ to prevent the response that otherwise
occurs to c This view is referred to as the conditionalshy
element theory of the feature negative discrimination because it
holds that a response to the c element becomes conditional on
the d element
middot The set of test displays was devised to check on certain
implications of the conditional element theory The displays
are represented in Figures 24 and 25 (along with the test results)
They consisted of the four different displays used in training
(distributed and compact with and without the distinctive feature)
and four new displays Two of the new displays consisted of a
single pound or d feature The remaining two each had a single pound in
one sector and a compact cluster with or without~ in another
sector The rationale for these displays will become evident as
we consider the bearing of the test results on certain specific
questions that the conditional element theory raises about
functions of the stimulus elements in the discrimination
When it is said that a d in close proximity to pound prevents
the response that would otherwise occur to pound it is assumed that
pound and ~ function as separately conditioned elements That general
106
Figure 24 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on distributed displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used in discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
d =feature positive 36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
C]0 POS NEG
107
~ d =red D d =green
CJ
~[U] DbJ ~[] cJCJ 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
d =feature negative32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
00 P OS NEG
[U] ~ DD [2]GJ CJD 02 01 04 03 06 05 08 07
TEST STIMULI
1~
Figure 25 Extinction test results for each of the four
groups trained on compact displays Displays labelled
positive and negative are those used during discrimination
training but during the test all trials were nonreinforced
Position of features changed from sector to sector in a random
sequence during test sessions
36
32
28
24
20
16
CJ) 12(J)
CJ)
c 80 0 c) 4 (J)
0
34 32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
d = feature positive
POS NEG
GJD ~~ C1 C2 C3 C4
d =feature negative
IJ POS NEG
109~ d =red
0 d =green
W~LJLJ C5 C6 C7 C8
WGJ ~~ lj~ CJ[JC2 C1 C4 C3 C6 C5 C8 C7
TEST STIMULI
110
assumption is central to the simultaneous discrimination theory
of the feature positive effect (see pages 15 - 20) as well as
to the conditional element theory of how the feature negative
discrimination is learned in the compact display
The first question to be asked of the test results
concerns the assumption that separate response tendencies are
conditioned to c and d Specifically (a) do subjects respond
differentially to c and pound elements in accordance with the
relation of these elements to reinforcement and nonreinforcement
in training and (b) how dependent is the level of responding on
the pattern afforded by the entire display as presented in
training
The data on the location of the peck on distributed displays
f are germane t o the 1rst ques tbull1on11 bull As would be expected from
the results during training subjects trained under the distributed
feature positive condition made most of their responses to d The
median percent of responses made to pound on the D1
test display for
this group was 100 (the lowest value was 53 which was well above
the chance level of 25) Subjects trained under the distributed
feature negative condition on the other hand confined their
responses to c on display D1
The median percent of responses
made to c when D was present was 100 (range 93 to 1006)1
The compact feature positive subjects performed in a
manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects When
11These data are not represented in Figures 24 and 25 but may be found in Appendix C
111
display c was presented the median percent of total responses3
made to the distinctive feature was 925 with a range of 75 to
100
The most critical test results for the conditional
element theory are those obtained in subjects trained under the
compact feature negative condition These subjects also responded
differentially to pound and ~ when display c3
was presented Subjects
in this group responded almost exclusively to pound (median percent
of responses topound= 10~6 range 75 to 10~~)
A comparison of the number of responses made to the single
distinctive feature and the single common element also supported
these findings In both the distributed and compact feature
positive groups subjects responded significantly more to the
distinctive feature (T = 0 P lt05 in both cases) The distributed
and compact feature negative subjects on the other hand responded
significantly more to the display containing the single pound (T = 0
P lt05 in both cases)
Thus the answer to our first question is yes The
localization results in conjunction with the differential response
tendency noted when displays containing either a single pound or d were
presented clearly indicate that in all four groups pound was
discriminated from d Further this differential responding to c
and d was in accordance with the relation of these elements to
reinforcement and nonreinforcement in training
Consider nml the second part of our question namely to
112
what degree is the subjects response level dependent upon the
pattern of elements present in training From Figure 24 it is
clear that changing the number of common features or the spatial
distribution had little if any effect on responding for the
distributed red feature positive subjects Thegreen feature
positive subjects on the other hand show a deficit in responding
when the compact displays are presented~ This result does not
however imply that feature positive subjects were responding to
a pattern on the positive display This is evident from the
fact that subjects responded at a high level to the display
containing the single poundelement This result then would imply
that while subjects did not respond to a pattern some were
affected by context (ie the placing ofpound in close proximity to
s)
The performance of the compact feature positive subjects
(shown in Figure 25) is similar to that of the distributed feature
positive group Although minor fluctuations occur when the
changed displays are presented the response level is high when
a display containing pound is presented and low when a display not
containing ~ is presented Thus while some subjects show some
differential responding when the displays are changed both the
compact and distributed feature positive groups maintain their
high level of discrimination between displays containing a d and
those that do not contain pound
The critical test for the conditional element theory
113
comes when the performance of the feature negative subjects is
examined In the distributed feature negative group (Figure
24) a comparison of the total number of responses made to each
12 2
D4 D n6 Dpair (D D1
3
5
DB D7
) of displays showed that
subjects responded significantly more to displays n and D2 1
than to any other pair of displays (D D vs 3
T =02 1
D4 n
Plt05 D D vs T = O P~05 D D vs DB D7
T = 2 1 D6 n5 2 1
0 P ~05) Further as is apparent in Figure 24 very little
responding occurred to the single common element especially in
the redfeature negative group From these results it is clear
that the level of response was at least partially affected by
the pattern on the display
In the compact feature negative condition the effects
of pattern are even greater It is clear from Figure 25 that
when the subjects are presented with distributed displays or
with a single element display very significant decrements in
responding occur (c c vs c c4
T = 0 Plt05 c c vs2 1 3 2 1
CB c7 T = 0 P lt05) However there was not a significant
decrement in responding when subjects were presented with
displays c6 and c which contained compact clusters (T = 145
PgtJO)
Thus while some small decrements occurred when the
pattern of the positive display was changed in the feature
12It makes no difference whether pairs or single displays are
compared (i-e D vs n4 vs n6 vs Dq) the statistical results2 were exactly the same Pairs of displays are compared here in order to simplify the discussion
114
positive condition these same changes brought about very large
decrements in responding in the feature negative group The
most important test of the conditional element theory comes from
the performance of the compact feature negative subjects The
results shown in Figure 25 clearly indicate that respo1ding in
the compact feature negative condition was highly dependent
on the entire positive display (ie the presence of a cluster
ofpound elements) and when this display was altered responding
decreased to a very low level However this dependence on the
pattern on the positive display was not evident in the compact
feature positive condition
The conditional element theory of the feature negative
discrimination in the simplest and clearest form envisions the
conditioning of tendencies to respond to individual pound and d
elements not to patterns of elements Horeover the theory
would have the same tendencies conditioned to individual elements
in compact and distributed displays It is in theory as though
pound acquires the same positive valence and acquires the same
negative valence in both the distributed and compact feature
negative conditions The extent to which the negativity of
reduces the positivity of c is then some inverse function of the
distance between them
It is clear from these results that a conditional element
theory of this form would not apply to the present displays without
substantial qualifications The especially strong dependence of
115
the level of responding on the pattern of pound elements for animals
trained in the compact feature negative case means that the
elements cannot be considered to function independently of their
configuration Although it was found that differential tendencies
to respond to single pound and d elements were developed as the result
of training the level of response to a display having the same
cluster of pound elements as did the positive display in training was
very much greater than the level to a single pound presented outside
of such a cluster
Even though the level of responding is not independent of
pattern it may still be asked whether in the feature negative
case apound that has ~ as a close neighbour is less likely to be
responded to than a c more removed from d If the response to c
doesnt depend on the proximity of~ the conditional element
theory of the feature negative discrimination would have to be
rejected
Consider first the test results following training on the
distributed feature negative discrimination (Figure 24) According
to the theory the level of responding on n where c and d are3
close should be less than on n4 where no ~ is present The
total number of respolses to n was not however significantly3
less than to n4 (T = 5 P J 05) Further the isolated pound would
in theory be responded to moremiddoton display n where it is the5
only pound that is well removed from d than on display n6 where no
~ is present Results on the location of pecking on test trials
116
with these displays showed that subjects did not respond
significantly more to the isolated c element on display n5
than on D6 (T = 8 P ~ 10)
Consider next the test results for subjects trained
on the compact feature negative displays (Figure 25) Display
c5 is the same as display c1
the negative disp~ay in training
except for the addition of an isolated poundbull Responding to display
c should therefore exceed responding to c1 but in fact it did5
not It would also be consistent with the theory if the isolated
pound accounted for a larger proportion of the responses on display
c than on display c6 However a statistical comparison of the5
percent of responses made to the isolated element on display c5
with the results for display c revealed that this was not the6
case (T = 55 P gt 10)
In summary the test results for subjects trained in the
feature negative discrimination provide no evidence that the
response to pound was dependent on the proximity of pound to ~middot It must
therefore be concluded that the test results taken as a whole
provide no support for the conditional element theory of the
feature negative discrimination
Discussion
The results of the present experiment clearly replicate
those found in Experiment II In the distributed condition a
clear feature positive effect was observed and further both
the distributed feature positive subjects and the distributed
117
feature negative subjects behaved in a manner which was generally
consistent with the simultaneous discrimination theory The
single exception was the test performance of the distributed red
feature negative group It is difficult to understand why these
subjects failed to respond at a high level to the single pound-element
during testing This result is inconsistent wi~h the results for
the green feature negative subjects and also the test results for
the two feature negative groups in Experiment II
In the compact condition the results of training indicate
that compacting the display facilitated learning in the feature
negative case while leaving the performance of the feature positive
animals comparable to that of the distributed feature positive
group Compacting the display did not however eliminate the
feature positive effect it merely reduced the differential betv1een
the feature positive and feature negative groups
During testing the compact feature positive subjects responded
in a manner similar to the distributed feature positive subjects
The localization data clearly show that the majority of responses
occurred to d on poundpound-displays Further while some effects of
context were noted responding was maintained at a high level when
a d was present and was at a low level when d was absent
The compact feature negative subjects also showed
localization behaviour which was consistent with the simultaneous
discrimination theory When presented with distributed displays
during testing responding was primarily confined to the pound elements
on poundpound-displays
118
Earlier in this chapter it was suggested that the compact
feature negative subjects learn the discrimination because the
close proximity of ~ to pound on the pound~-display allows a conditional
discrimination to occur It is clear from the test results that
this conditional element theory is not a correct account of how
the discrimination was learned in the compact feature negative
case Responding was very strongly dependent on the entire cluster
of circles making up the positive display Further there was no
evidence in either the distributed or compact feature negative
groups that the level of response to a common feature was reduced
by the proximity of the distinctive feature The fact remains
however that compacting the display did selectively facilitate
the feature negative discrimination If the conditional element
theory of the discrimination is not correct why does compacting
the display aid the feature negative discrimination
Both in the present experiment and in the previous
experiment the distinctive feature replaced one of the common
features rather than being an addition to the set of common
features Therefore positive displays could be distinguished
from negative displays entirely on the basis of different patterns
of common features In the present displays for example a
discrimination might be formed between a group of four circles
of one colour say green and a group of three green circles
The presence of a circle of a different colour could in principle
be irrelevant to the discrimination The test results showed
119
quite clearly that such was definitely not the case when the
circle of a different colour is on the positive display since
in the feature positive case the distinctive feature is
certainly the principal basis of the discrimination However
it is conceivable that when a discrimination does develop in
the feature negative case it is based primarily on a difference
between the patterns of common elements in the pairs of displays
Putting the elements close together may make that difference more
distinctive In particular discriminating a complete square of
four circles of one colour from a cluster of three circles of
the same colour might very well be easier when the circles are
arranged in compact clusters
It is perhaps unlikely that the distinctive feature plays
no role in the discrimination that develops in the feature negative
case but in stating this possibility explicit recognition is
given that the present experiment offers no evidence that the
distinctive feature conditionalizes the response to the common
feature
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion
The results of the present series of experiments
generally support a simultaneous discrimination interpretation
of the feature positive effect
The simultaneous discrimination theory predicted
localization on d by the feature positive subjects Further
this localization was to precede the formation of the successive
discrimination Both of these predictions were supported by
all of the experiments reported here
The second prediction of the simultaneous discrimination
theory concerns the localization of responding on pound by the feature
negative subjects The results of Experiments II and III
provided support for this prediction
Finally it was reasoned that in order for a feature
negative discrimination to be formed subjects would have to form
a conditional discrimination of the form respond to c unless d
is present It was predicted that by compacting the stimulus
display subjects would learn the discrimination in a manner which
was consistent with the conditional element theory The results
of Experiment III however do not provide support for this
theory While compact feature negative subjects did respond to
c and d in a manner consistent with the theory it was clear that
120
121
the pattern of the elements on the display played a large role
in determining the level of response Thus the conditional
element theory of the feature negative discrimination was not
supported by Experiment III
In the introduction of this thesis the question was
raised as to whether or not the paridigm used here had any
bearing on the question of excitation and inhibition It was
pointed out that only if the learning by the feature positive
and feature negative subjects was coordinate (ie as described
a and a or bypound andpound) could any inferences regarding excitation
and inhibition be drawn
The results of the experiments clearly indicate that
the performance of the feature positive subjects is consistent
with rule~ (respond to~ otherwise do not respond) However
the localization and test results as well as the failure to
respond during in tertrial periods indicate middotthat subjects trained
on compact feature negative displays do not perform in accordance
with rule a (do not respond to~ otherwise respond) Learning
in the feature positive and feature negative conditions was not
therefore based on coordinate rules As a consequence the
comparison of learning in the feature positive and feature negative
arrangements was not a direct comparison of the rates with which
inhibitory and excitatory control develop
It was also noted in the introduction that Pavlov (1927)
122
trained animals to respond in a differential manner when an A-AB
paridigm was used Further Pavlov demonstrated the inhibitory
effect of B by placing it with another positive stimulus Why
then is the A-AB discrimination not learned in the present
series of experiments Even in the compact feature negative
condition there is some doubt as to whether or ~ot the learning
is based on d rather than on the basis of the pattern formed by
the positive display
There are at least two possible reasons for the failure
of A-AB discrimination to be learned by the distributed feature
positive subjects First of all the failure may occur because
of the spatial relationship of c and d as specified by the
conditional element theory Secondly it is possible that the
distinctive feature occupies too small a space in the stimulating
environment relative to the common feature It is possible for
example that dot feature negative subjects would learn if the
dot was of a greater size
Pavlov (1927) in discussing the conditions necessary for
the establishing of conditioned inhibition stated The rate of
formation of conditioned inhibition depends again on the
character and the relative intensity of the additional stimulus
in comparison with the conditioned stimulus Cp 75) Pavlov
found that when the distinctive feature (B) was of too low an
intensity conditioned inhibition was difficult to establish
123
If one can assume that increasing the relative area of
the distinctive feature is the same as increasing its intensity
then it is possible that the failure in the present experiments
lies in the relatively small area occupied by the distinctive
feature In Experiment III for example three common features
were present on negative trials while only one distinctive feature
was present
One further possibility is that the conditional
discrimination may be affected by the modalities from which the
elements are drawn In the present experiments the common and
distinctive features were from the same modality Pavlov on the
other hand generally used two elements which were from different
modalities (eg a tone and a rotating visual object) Thus
while in Pavlovs experiments the two elements did not compete
in the same modality the significance of the distinctive feature
in the present studies may have been reduced by the existence of
common features in the same modality
It is possible then that feature negative subjects
would learn the discrimination if different modalities were
employed or if the distinctive feature occupied a relatively
larger area These possibilities however remain to be tested
While the results of the present experiments do not bear
directly on the question of whether or not excitatory or inhibitory
control form at different rates they do bear directly on a design
which is often used to demonstrate inhibitory control by the negative
124
stimulus (Jenkins ampHarrison 1962 Honig et al 1963 Terrace
1966)
In these studies the experimenters required subjects
to discriminate between successively presented positive and
negative stimuli The negative stimulus was composed of elements
which were from a different dimension than those present on the
positive display A variation of the negative stimulus did not
therefore move the negative stimulus (S-) any closer or farther
away from the positive stimulus (S+) Inhibitory control was
demonstrated by the occurrence of an increased tendency to respond
when the stimulus was moved away from the original S- value
The first attempt to test for the inhibitory effects of
S- by using this method was carried out by Jenkins amp Harrison
(1962) In their experiment no tone or white noise plus a lighted
key signalled S+ while a pure tone plus a lighted key signalled S-
In a generalization test for inhibitory control by S- tones of
different frequencies were presented The authors found that as
the frequency of the test tone moved away from S- there was an
increasing tendency to respond
A similar study by Honig Boneau Burnstein and Pennypacker
(1963) supported these findings Honig et al used a blank key as
S+ and a key with a black vertical line on it as S- In testing
they varied the orientation of the S- line and found a clear
inhibitory gradient Responding increased progressively as the
orientation of the line was changed from the vertical to the
125
horizontal position
Nore recently Terrace (1966) has found both excitatory
and inhibitory gradients using a similar technique but testing
for both types of control within the same animal
It is apparent that if the criterion for asymmetrical
displays described in the introduction is applied to these
stimuli they would be characterized as asymmetrical In the
Honig et al (1963) experiment for example the blank areas
on both displays would be noted as c while the black line would
be noted as d Thus as in the present experiments one display
is composed of common elements while the other is made up of
common elements plus a distinctive feature One might expect
then that as well as asymmetry in stimuli there should also
be asymmetry in learning This was not in fact the case The
line positive and line negative subjects learned with equal
rapidity in Honigs experiment
There are however two points of divergence between the
design used here and that used by Honig et al First of all
although the discrimination was successive in nature Honig et
al used a free operant procedure while the present experiments
employed a discrete trial procedure
Secondly and more important in Honigs experimert the
distinctive feature was stationary while in the present experiments
the location was moved from trial to trial It is clear from the
peck location results of the present experiment that feature
126
negative subjects do not res~ond in a random fashion but rather
locate their pecking at a preferred location on the display
It is likely therefore that Honigs subjects performed in a
similar manner If subjects chose the same area to peck at
in both positive and negative display it is probable that
as the distinctive feature extended across the Qiameter of the
display the locus of responding on poundpound~displays would be at
or near a part of the distinctive feature
If these assumptions are correct there are two additional
ways in which the discrimination could have been learned both
of which are based on positive trials First of all if the
preferred area on the positive trial was all white and the same
area on the negative trials was all black then a simple whiteshy
black discrimination may have been learned Secondly the
discrimination may be based on the strategy respond to the
display with the largest area of white In either case one
could not expect asymmetry in learning
Further if either of the above solutions were employed
and the line was oriented away from the negative in testing the
preferred area for pecking would become more like the cor1parable
area on the positive display It is possible then that the
gradients were not inhibitory in nature but excitatory
This argument could also be applied to the Terrace (1967)
experiment where again line orientation was used It is more
difficult however to apply this type of analysis to the Jenkins amp
127
Harrison (1963) experiment as different dimensions (ie visual
and auditory) were employed as pound and poundmiddot This interpretation
may however partially explain the discrepancy in the nature of
the gradients found in the Jenkins ampHarrison and Honig et al
experiments The gradients found by Jenkins ampHarrison were
much shallower in slope than those fould by Hon~g et al or
Terrace
The results of the present experiments also go beyond
the feature positive effect to a more fundamental question that
is often asked in discrimination learning How can a perfect
gono go discrimination be learned despite the fact that many of
the features of the stimulating environment are common to both
positive and negative trials The assumption of overlap (common
features) between the stimuli present on positive and negative
trials is necessary to account for generalization After an
animal has been given differential training this overlap must
be reduced or removed because the subject no longer responds to
the negative display while responding remains at full strength
in the presence of the positive display It is assumed therefore
that differential training has the function of reducing the overlap
between the positive and negative stimuli
One approach to the problem has been through the use of
mathematical models of learning
These mode1s have attempted to describe complex behaviour
by the use of mathematical equations the components of which are
128
based upon assumptions made by the model What is sought from
the models is an exact numerical prediction of the results of the
experiments they attempt to describe
One type of mathematical model which has been used
extensively in the study of overlap is the stimulus sampling
model The fundamental assumption underlying sampling models is
that on any given experimental trial only a sample of the elements
present are effective or active (conditionable)
The first explicit treatment of the problem of overlap
was contained in the model for discrimination presented by Bush
amp Mosteller (1951) According to this formulation a set
(unspecified finite number of elements) is conditioned through
reinforcement to a response However in addition to equations
representing the conditioning of responses to sets a separate
equation involving a discrimination operator was introduced This
had the effect of progressively reducing the overlap thus reflecting
the decreasing effectiveness of common elements during the course
of differential training This operator applied whenever the
sequence of presentations shifted from one type of trial to another
It is now obvious however that in order for common
features to lose their ability to evoke a response a differentiating
feature must be present (Wagner Logan Haberlandt amp Price 1968)
In the present series of experiments common features did not lose
their ability to evoke a response unless the differentiating feature
was placed on positive trials The Bush ampMosteller formulation
129
did not recognize the necessity of the presence of a distinctive
feature in order that control by the common features be
neutralized
Restle (1955) proposed a theory not totally unlike that
of Bush ampMosteller However adaptation of common cues was
said to occur on every positive and negative trial not just at
transitions between positive and negative trials Further the
rate of adaptation was said to depend on the ratio of relevant
cues to the total set of cues Adaptation or the reduction of
overlapdepended then on the presence of a distinctive feature
As the theory predicts conditioning in terms of relevant cues
it would predict no differences in learning in the present series
of experiments If a cue is defined as two values along some
dimension then in the present experiments the two values are
the presence vs the absence of the distinctive feature Thus
the cue would be the same in both the feature positive and feature
negative case
The theory also does not describe a trial by trial
process of adaptation As Restle later pointed out (Restle 1962)
the rate of adaptation in the 1955 model is a fixed parameter
which is dependent from the outset of training on the proportion
of relevant cues But clearly the status of a cue as relevant
or irrelevant can only be determined over a series of trials The
process by which a cue is identified as being relevant or irrelevant
is unspecified in the theory
130
A somewhat different approach to the problem has been
incorporated in pattern models of discrimination In distinction
to the component or element models these models assume that
patterns are conditioned to response rather than individual elements
on the display Estes (1959) for example developed a model which
had the characteristics of the component models but the samples
conditioned were patterns rather than elements If the results
of the presen~ experlinents were treated as pattern conditioning
the pound~ and pound-displays would be treated differently The pound~
display would become a new unique pattern ~middot It is clear from
the results however that subjects in the distributed groups
and in the compact feature positive group were not conditioned
to a pattern but rather were conditioned primarily to the
components or individual features
Atkinson ampEstes (1963) in order to encompass the notion
of generalization devised a mixed model which assumed conditioning
both to components within the display and to the pattern as a
whole The conditioning to the pattern explains the eventual
development of a complete discrimination between the pattern and
one of its components Essentially while responding is being
conditioned to AB responding is also being conditioned to the
components A and B In the present series of experiments it is
impossible to know whether or not the subjects trained on
distributed displays were responding to the pattern during some
phase of training However the peck location data collected
131
during training (ie localization on the feature) would argue
against this notion Although a form of mixed model may explain
the results the addition of pattern conditioning is not a
necessary concept The results are more readily explained by the
simple conditioning to c and d features as described by the
simultaneous discrimination theory
There now exist a number of two stage component models
which differ from the earlier simple component models in that the
nature of the selection process and the rules of selection are
specified These models generally termed as selective attention
theories of discrimination learning also provide schema for
removing the effect of common elements (eg Atkinson 1961
Lovejoy 1965 1966 Restle 1962 Sutherland 1959 1964
Trabasso ampBower 1968 Wyckoff 1952 Zeaman ampHouse 1963) All
middotof these theories assune that learning a discrimination first of
all involves the acquisition of an observing response the
switching in of an analyser or the selection of a hypothesis as
to the features that distinguish positive from negative trials
In other words the subject must learn which analyser (eg colour
shape size etc) to switch in or attend to and then he must
attach the correct response with each output of the analyser
(eg red-green round-square etc) If for example a subject
is required to discriminate a red circle from a green circle he
must first of all learn to attend to colour and then connect the
correct response to red and green
Although these models all have an attention factor
132
different rules have been proposed for the acquisition of the
analyser or observing response Sutherland for example has
proposed that the failure of an analyser to provide differential
prediction of reinforcement-nonreinforcement will result in
switching to another analyser Restle (1962) on the other
hand proposes that every error (nonreinforcement) leads to a
resampling of features
Although it is possible that any one of these models
could account for the feature positive effect it is clear that
this effect can be accounted for without an appeal to the
development of a cue-acquiring or observing response that alters
the availability of the features on the display The results
of pre-differential training in Experiments II and III indicate
that subjects preferred to peck at one feature more th~n the
other This would imply that the features were both attended to
and differentiated from the outset of training Since this is
the case it is unnecessary to suppose that differential training
teaches the animal to tell the difference between the common
and distinctive features The differential training may simply
change the strength of response to these features
This is essentially what is implied by the simultaneous
discrimination theory The theory simply assumes that the outcome
of a trial selectively strengthens or weakens the response to
whichever element of the display captures the response on that
trial When the distinctive feature is on the positive trial the
133
response shifts toward it because of the higher probability of
reinforcement This shift within the positive trials decreases
the probability of reinforcement for a common feature response
until extinction occurs When the distinctive feature is on
the negative trial the response shifts away because there is a
lower probability of reinforcement associated with the distinctive
feature than there is with common features As the common features
on positive and negative trials are not differentiated partial
reinforcement results and the successive discrimination does not
form
It is clear that the explanation offered by the simultaneous
discrimination theory is heavily dependent on spatial convergence
It is evident however that common features must also be
extinguished in non-spatial (eg auditory) discrimination tasks
It remains to be seen whether the type of explanation suggested
here can be generalized to non-spatial stimuli and to other tasks
in which the animal does not respond directly at the discriminative
stimulus
Summary and Conclusions
Jenkins ampSainsbury (1967) found that when subjects were
required to discriminate between two stimuli which were differentiated
only by a single feature placed on the positive or negative display
animals trained with the distinctive feature on the positive display
learned the discrimination while animals trained with the distinctive
134
feature on the negative trials did not The simultaneous
discrimination theory was proposed to account for this featureshy
positive effect
The present experiments were designed to test the
predictions made by the simultaneous discrimination theory The
simultaneous discrimination theory first of all states that
within a distinctive feature display the distinctive feature and
the common features function as separately conditioned elements
Further in the feature positive condition subjects should localize
their responding on the distinctive feature Also this localization
should precede the onset of the formation of the successive
discrimination Results from all three experiments clearly supported
these predictions Without exception feature positive subjects who
learned the successive discrimination localized their response to
the distinctive feature before responding ceased on negative trials
The simultaneous discrimination theory also predicted that
subjects trained with the distinctive feature on negative trials
would avoid the distinctive feature in favour of common features
In Experiment II subjects were presented with a four section
display Thus responding to common and distinctive features was
recorded separately The results clearly upheld the predictions
of the simultaneous discrimination theory Subjects trained with
the distinctive feature on negative trials formed a simultaneous
discrimination between common and distinctive features and confined
their responding to common elements
135
It was suggested that the failure of the successive
discrimination in the feature negative case could be regarded
as a failure to form a conditional discrimination of the form
respond to common elements unless the distinctive feature is
present If this were true then making the conditional
discrimination easier should allow the feature negative subjects
to learn Experiment III was designed to test this view Subjects
were presented with displays which had the elements moved into
close proximity to one another Although feature negative subjects
learned the discrimination a feature-positive effect was still
observed Further there was no evidence to support the notion
that the feature negative subjects had learned a conditional
discrimination The results suggested instead that responding
by the compact feature negative group was largely controlled by
pattern and the overall performance was not consistent with a
conditional element view
Thus while the predictions of the simultaneous discrimination
theory were upheld a conditional element interpretation of learning
when the distinctive feature was placed on negative trials was not
supported
While it is possible that some of the stimul~s sampling
models of discrimination learning could account for the feature
positive effect the simultaneous discrimination theory has the
advantage of not requiring the assumption of a cue-acquiring or
an observing response to alter the availability of cues on a
display
References
Atkinson R C The observing response in discrimination learning
J exp Psychol 1961 62 253-262
Atkinson R C and Estes W K Stimulus sampling theory In
R Luce R Bush and E Galanter (Editors) Handbook of
mathematical psychology Vol 2 New York Wiley 1963
Blough D S Animal psychophysics Scient Amer 1961 205
113-122
Brown P L and Jenkins H M Auto-shaping of the pigeons keyshy
peck J exp Anal Behav 1968 11 l-8
Bush R R and Mosteller R A A model for stimulus generalization
and discrimination Psychol Rev 1951 ~~ 413-423
Dember W N The psychology of perception New York Holt
Rinehart and Winston 1960
Estes W K Component and pattern models with Markovian interpretations
In R R Bush and W K Estes (Editors) Studies in mathematical
learning theory Stanford Calif Stanford Univ Press
1959 9-53
Ferster C B and Skinner B P Schedules of Reinforcement New
York Appleton-Century-Crofts 1957
Honig W K Prediction of preference transportation and transshy
portation-reversal from the generalization gradient J
exp Psychol 1962 64 239-248
137
Honig W K Boneau C A Burnstein K R and Pennypacker H S
Positive and negative generalization gradients obtained after
equivalent training conditions J comp physiol Psychol
1963 2sect 111-116
Jenkins H Measurement of stimulus control during discriminative
operant conditioning Psychol Bull 196~ 64 365-376
Jenkins H and Sainsbury R Discrimination learning with the
distinctive feature on positive and negative trials
Technical Report No 4 Department of Psychology McMaster
University 1967
Lovejoy E P Analysis of the overlearning reversal effect
Psychol Rev 1966 73 87-103
Lovejoy E P An attention theory of discrimination learning J
math Psychol 1965 ~ 342-362
Miller R E and Murphy J V Influence of the spatial relationshy
ships between the cue reward and response in discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1964 67 120-123
Murphy J V and Miller R E The effect of spatial contiguity
of cue and reward in the object-quality learning of rhesus
monkeys J comp physiol Psychol 1955 48 221-224
Murphy J V and Miller R E Effect of the spatial relationship
between cue reward and response in simple discrimination
learning J exp Psychol 1958 2sect 26-31
Pavlov I P Conditioned Reflexes London Oxford University
Press 1927
138
Restle F The selection of strategies in cue learning Psychol
Rev 1962 69 329-343
Restle F A theory of discrimination learning Psychol Rev
1955 62 ll-19
Sainsbury R S and Jenkins H M Feature-positive effect in
discrimination learning Proceedings 75th Annual
Convention APA 1967 17-18
Schuck J R Pattern discrimination and visual sampling by the
monkey J comp physiol Psychol 1960 22 251-255
Schuck J bullR Polidora V J McConnell D G and Meyer D R
Response location as a factor in primate pattern discrimination
J comp physiol Psychol 1961 ~ 543-545
Skinner B F Stimulus generalization in an operant A historical
note In D Hostofsky (Editor) Stimulus Generalization
Stanford University Press 1965
Stollnitz F Spatial variables observing responses and discrimination
learning sets Psychol Rev 1965 72 247-261
Stollnitz F and Schrier A M Discrimination learning by monkeys
with spatial separation of cue and response J comp physiol
Psychol 1962 22 876-881
Sutherland N S Stimulus analyzing mechanisms In Proceedings
or the symposium on the mechanization of thought processes
Vol II London Her Majestys Stationery Office 575-609
1959
139
Sutherland N S The learning-of discrimination by animals
Endeavour 1964 23 146-152
Terrace H S Discrimination learning and inhibition Science
1966 154 1677~1680
Trabasso R and Bower G H Attention in learnin~ New York
Wiley 1968
Wagner A R Logan F A Haberlandt K and Price T Stimulus
selection in animal discrimination learning J exp Psycho
1968 Zsect 171-180
Wyckoff L B The role of observing responses in discrimination
learning Part I Psychol Rev 1952 22 431-442
Zeaman D and House B J The role of attention in retarded
discrimination learning InN R Ellis (Editor) Handbook
of mental deficiency New York McGraw-Hill 1963 159-223
140
Appendix A
Individual Response Data for Experiment I
141 Experiment 1
Responses Made During Differential Training to Display
Containing d (D) and the Blank Display (D)
Subjects Session
2 2 4 2 6 1 8
Dot Positive
7 D 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
19 D 160 156 156 156 148 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 156 159 113 10 13 3 0 28 4 1 2
41 D 149 128 160 131 160 158 160 159 156 160 160 160
160 155 158 36 33 8 13 4 3 9 13 9
44 D 154 160 150 160 154 158 160 160 158 157 160 151
n 157 152 160 158 148 16o 155 148 142 148 103 37
50 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156 160 160 160 160
5 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Dot Negative
3 D 152 157 160 145 137 153 160 160 160 160 158 160
n 153 160 152 153 137 156 160 160 160 160 160 160
15 D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 159 160
D 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
25 D 150 160 157 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 156
n 155 160 16o 160 158 160 16o 160 160 16o 160 160
42 D 155 160 154 158 160 16o i6o 160 160 160 160 160
D 160 159 158 159 159 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
45 D 160 158 156 160 156 156 160 160 160 160 160 160 D 160 156 158 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
142
Appendix B
Individual Response Data for Experiment II
143
Training Data
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR ref~r to the sector of the display (Upper Left Upper
Right Lower Left and Lower Right) There were four groups of
subjects and the group may be determined by the type (dot or
star) of distinctive feature and the location (on positive
or negative trials) of the distinctive feature A subject
trained with 2 dots and 1 star positive for example would
belong to the feature positive group and the distinctive
feature was a star Training with 2 stars and one dot negative
on the other hand would mean that the subject would belong to
the dot feature negative group The entries in the tables are roll
responses to common blank and distinctive features and pound-only
and pound~ trials
144
Subject 33 2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
- ~ 2 1 4-
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 15 9 6 31 57 12 43 ~3 68 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 69 61 81 58 14 85 65 50 19 3 0 0 0 0 0
LL 13 5 2 20 62 6 13 9 11 1 0 0 1 0 0
LR 49 75 58 40 22 48 26 9 5 0 1 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 4 6 0 1 0 - 1 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 5 18 26 23 2 22 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 42 54 58 55 2 59 38 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 5 4 9 13 18 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 45 52 51 36 6 14 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 10 12 8 1 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 4 2 5 0
d - Responses
UL 2 0 1 4 39 14 26 35 37 36 36 36 37 37 38 UR 10 8 9 4 18 35 34 34 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 LL 1 1 0 3 38 6 13 15 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 LR 14 17 middot2 5 15 14 6 18 36 36 36 36 36 36 36
11- 12
145
Subject 50
2 Dots and 1 Star Po13itive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 ~ 2 l 4 6 1 8 2 2 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 7 19 14 0 0 11 + 14 15 17 8 5 0 1
UR 95 84 58 42 79 61 67 81 64 75 72 57 24 0 1
LL 2 8 6 23 16 28 24 13 25 33 17 9 5 3 5 LR 43 56 86 87 81 107 54 78 60 46 47 70 19 0 7
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 2 0 0 2 0
UR 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 7 2 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 l 1 1 2 2 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 25 22 35 24 47 18 25 17 26 16 0 0 0 1
UR 69 73 52 62 53 27 47 66 56 48 36 24 1 6 9
LL 0 4 19 14 35 40 5 15 32 38 25 0 2 0 1
LR 46 49 75 58 75 91 27 68 46 53 54 44 13 12 16
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
UR 1 2 1 2 0 0 5 4 2 9 6 7 4 7 8 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 5 1 3
LR 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 4 2 8 2 10
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 16 43 42 43 UR 9 2 1 3 0 4 3 5 5 1 8 26 39 37 42 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 2 1 2 15 39 42 40 LR 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 15 31 35 37 38
146
middot Subject 66
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Djfferential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4- 6- 2 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
middotc - Responses
UL 4 19 29 31 24 32 33 18 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
UR 53 56 51 74 102 112 106 48 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 26 lto 41 22 9 4 3 19 21 3 0 0 2 3 0
LR 68 35 32 24 21 14 15 18 19 1 0 0 1 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 4 4 2 3 9 2 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 9 23 29 32 23 24 8 1 0 1 0 1 8 0 0
UR 51 45 43 54 66 62 33 5 1 4 0 1 3 4 6
LL 33 37 41 30 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2
LR 48 40 31 32 28 16 6 4 0 1 5 1 5 6 4
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 4 7 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 LL 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
LR 1 2 3 3 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1
d - Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 1 5 30 39 42 42 42 44 45 4o 41
UR 0 0 5 6 14 32 41 33 41 43 4o 43 42 42 41
LL 2 3 3 1 2 7 24 41 41 41 37 39 42 4o 4o
LR 5 2 4 4 1 6 18 39 41 44 46 41 4o 4o 4o
147
Subject 59
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 4 2 6 1 8 2 10- 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 11 31 35 47 10 28 44 32 43 43 99 64 61 94 61
UR 86 55 33 8 18 21 14 25 25 25 35 42 31 12 33 LL 2 35 38 63 71 57 74 39 38 42 20 33 41 38 46
LR 4o 19 31 25 41 35 9 49 33 46 15 19 21 14 19
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
UR 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 21 26 39 36 39 35 22 50 60 50 62 47 34 49 43 UR 62 45 27 16 20 21 9 9 17 18 16 15 19 16 13 LL 3 19 49 61 42 56 67 48 33 25 21 31 4o 32 17
LR 49 49 23 32 4o 14 17 0 12 14 26 17 17 17 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 4 12 13 17 4o 14 28 33 29 32 UR 4 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 4 4 13 11 7 17 LL 0 0 1 0 0 7 12 17 5 20 13 9 14 12 26
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 6 4 0 1 0 0
148
Subject 56
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 4 2 6 1 ~ ~ 12 11 12-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 68 42 36 51 18 35 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 1 0
UR 10 1 2 1 59 32 7 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0
LL 66 89 99 79 6 25 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
LR 10 11 10 16 51 12 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 1 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 47 29 26 38 13 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 7 0 0 0 52 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 51 64 64 44 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 9 5 3 8 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 3 11 13 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 15 11 13 23 15 4o 40 41 42 38 43 44 42 43 45
UR 4 1 0 6 21 34 42 42 44 45 42 43 45 43 39
LL 23 27 29 26 4 38 42 41 40 4o 44 43 45 42 45
LR 1 0 1 3 3 42 43 43 44 44 42 45 42 44 45
149
Subject 57
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
-g_ 2 pound 2 4 2 2 z ~ 2 Q 11 12-c - Trials
_ c - Responses
UL 28 37 45 49 49 44 8 0 4 0 ) 1 1 0 0
UR 27 21 32 20 26 17 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 0
2LL 59 58 57 68 69 21 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 35 27 18 21 13 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 2 0 3 1 2 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 2 7 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 13 21 18 7 3 11 6 3 6 6 13 14 12 14
UR 14 11 9 6 1 0 11 5 9 17 18 40 46 53 39
LL 32 19 18 26 9 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0
LR 15 9 8 3 2 0 0 0 1 2 4 8 8 13 16
Blank Responses
UL 2 0 5 2 2 4 5 3 4 6 4 8 9 8 8
UR 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5 6 9 12 20 17 17 19
LL 1 5 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 3 8 5
d- Responses
UL 16 19 23 26 31 36 36 31 35 35 29 26 28 29 27
UR 13 14 18 22 32 36 36 21 36 34 30 37 36 39 40
LL 26 26 21 30 32 33 33 14 27 19 15 10 20 12 14
LR 27 27 25 25 35 36 23 16 24 20 27 20 30 31 29
150
Subject 68 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 6 z 2 lQ g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 13 20 4 5 35 16 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 33 49 43 68 49 14 13 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
LL 41 32 10 14 35 5 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 74 65 84 66 24 3 4 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
Blank Responses
UL 2 middot1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 1 0 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 4 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 8 0 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 4 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 14 28 26 26 3 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 1
LL middot 10 8 6 5 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
LR 37 29 29 35 5 3 6 2 7 5 0 3 5 3 2
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 6 3 7 5 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 3 LL 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 4 8 5 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 2 3 2
d - Responses
UL 15 12 13 13 39 42 42 42 4o 33 41 44 44 41 UR 26 28 29 27 34 35 39 38 42 33 37 39 37 40 LL 15 12 7 22 31 39 35 37 36 38 39 34 36 36 LR 34 31 31 37 33 41 38 38 42 37 38 39 37 4o
151
Subject 69 2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin6
~ 2 2 2 4- 2 sect 2 sect 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 41 15 52 49 5 1 3 0 9 1 1 0 1 1 5 UR 21 8 19 23 12 0 0 0 8 10 0 0 5 0 1
LL 49 76 58 41 8 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 43 45 18 33 25 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 3 0 5
Blank Responses UL 2 2 o 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 1 0 0
LL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
LR 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses UL 12 2 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
UR 7 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 14 16 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B1alk Responses
UL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 29 38 39 41 49 48 46 47 46 47 46 46 47 48 45
UR 27 16 30 4o 46 46 43 45 43 47 46 45 42 46 44
LL 31 36 39 45 46 46 42 46 43 43 44 44 44 46 45
LR 23 40 32 43 47 47 42 44 42 46 45 46 47 45 50
152
Subject 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 g_ 2 4 2 ~ z sect 2 1Q 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 26 26 26 16 39 28 22 16 20 26 24 28 26 21
UR 42 48 71 67 72 52 71 46 63 32 35 47 50 73 70 LL 28 20 14 26 17 18 8 24 14 22 30 9 21 12 15
LR 86 69 45 32 50 43 37 36 46 64 28 42 46 23 39
Blank Responses
UL 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 1 4 4
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 31 8 39 11 18 26 19 36 19 37 34 31
UR 44 49 48 43 62 47 47 29 40 53 20 41 32 42 57 LL 25 14 24 21 13 24 13 21 14 26 28 14 21 12 11
LR 64 62 33 38 32 20 54 4 43 45 4 31 42 35 25
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 0 1 0
UR 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0 1 1 3 3 8 2
LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL omiddot o 7 12 0 3 2 0 4 0 2 0 2 1 0
UR 0 4 14 8 17 11 12 12 9 3 2 0 0 5 3 LL 8 8 8 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 13 7 6 17 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153
middot Subject 58
2 Dots and l Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ l 4- 6- z 8- 2 Q 11-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 20 l2 35 36 31 27 28 44 25 33 55 49 36 52 49 UR 44 39 37 41 43 22 21 8 31 25 22 31 25 15 16
LL 53 44 64 56 63 69 74 79 69 74 53 54 64 58 64
LR 6o 64 55 42 38 32 28 19 18 21 23 22 23 21 28
Blank Responses
UL 0 l 4 4 3 0 l 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 l
UR l 3 4 13 15 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 l
LL 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 2
LR 20 2 14 11 7 2 l l 2 0 1 0 l 4 3
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 11 18 39 26 26 32 41 30 27 46 33 31 34 42
tJR 26 20 37 35 33 31 28 12 16 17 13 17 16 16 20 LL 41 28 41 32 36 62 61 54 4o 47 37 41 4o 4o 26
LR 50 45 39 29 36 39 31 10 24 18 14 15 15 18 15
Blank Responses
UL 1 2 4 7 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 l 0 l
UR 6 10 6 14 11 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 l 2 0
LL 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 3 l 3 7 5 2
LR 18 20 16 10 7 6 2 2 0 l 2 3 3 3 2
d - Responses
UL 2 2 5 13 8 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 8 10 7 22 13 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0
LL 8 11 13 15 8 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 3 1 4
LR 21 24 18 8 10 3 1 1 0 l l 0 l 0 l
154
middot Subject 67
2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
g_ l g_ 2 2 sect 1 sect 2 10 ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 29 21 35 39 31 48 64 57 64 69 53 60 82 74 85 UR 23 68 97 103 90 62 85 91 104 80 113 106 93 89 85 LL5627 3 411 28 10 2 1 2 1 0 2 7 1
LR 43 29 17 5 28 16 18 5 2 3 0 2 0 4 3
Blank Responses
UL 5 1 2 0 3 6 15 2 6 3 2 1 4 2 5 UR 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 38 38 41 4o 37 42 4o 44 57 49 50 6o 63 66 63 UR 19 54 67 74 61 55 62 71 70 77 73 80 74 72 87 LL 44 24 5 7 14 22 11 2 6 2 3 2 2 7 8
LR 44 26 31 29 38 27 28 26 17 21 16 11 20 6 9
Blank Responses
UL 8 9 0 1 6 2 8 6 9 5 8 3 7 3 8
UR 1 3 2 1 2 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 3 3 6 LL 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
d - Responses
UL 5 2 2 2 1 3 7 5 3 1 7 8 1 9 4
UR 1 2 0 0 1 0 5 5 2 2 5 6 6 5 1
LL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
155
Subject 73 2 Dots and 1 Star Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training
4 2 Differential Training
6 z 8 2 10 11 12
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 54 39 61
UR 33 44 38
LL363634
22
69
8
14
50
12
14
68 8
9
72
15
6
77
8
12
79
16
9 91
2
7
91
7
4
93
2
1
103
0
6
109
1
7
101
6
LR 37 73 50 71 84 87 75 77 71 85 78 76 58 53 53
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR
LL
LR
1
3
6
2
0
3
2
0
2
2
0
0
2
0
4
0
0
7
3 0
9
2
0
1
1
0
3
3 0
2
3 0
1
3 0
5
5 0
7
3 0
5
7 0
8
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 49 42 50
UR 32 25 46
LL 37 38 30
23
46
13
25
36
32
24
17
19
48 27
32
47
15
22
56
29
28
66
6
18
62
22
26
65
14
23
75
7
25
78
5
22
73
10
LR 44 45 41 63 64 70 62 62 64 53 59 54 46 56 52
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0
UR 7 3 1
LL 0 5 3 LR 5 8 4
0
5 0
3
0
3
0
4
0
2
0
2
0
1
0
7
0
2
1
2
1
1
0
5
0
11
0
7
0
3 1
2
0
8
1
1
0
6
0
9
1
10
0
5
0
6
0
4
d - Responses
UL 3 5 0
UR 4 0 2
LL 0 2 2
LR 5 8 3
0
7 2
15
1
5 0
4
0
5 1
12
0
3 0
6
0
2
5 2
0
0
0
4
0
9 0
2
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
14
0
2
0
8
0
1
156
Subject 51
2 Stars ~d 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 14 14 57 87 62 65 44 52 41 6l 82 75 87 94
UR 47 _45 52 40 35 61 15 33 17 22 11 11 5 3 6 LL 16 27 22 39 31 28 40 50 51 54 69 45 73 66 58
LR 78 64 62 17 12 12 12 32 53 53 22 30 19 11 8
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 5 4 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 0 7 46 36 44 59 35 45 51 63 68 61 71
UR 2 2 2 6 16 56 26 4o 15 24 26 36 22 24 11
LL 2 2 2 5 35 37 38 29 zo 56 50 52 54 62 50
LR 11 5 2 1 7 15 18 22 50 44 35 20 24 15 20
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
LL 0 0 0 0 0 1 bull
0 middoto 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
LR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 0
d - Responses
UL 28 37 39 38 24 3 4 4 0 1 1 1 0 0 3
UR 37 34 36 33 8 11 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LL 42 38 39 36 21 5 4 5 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
LR 40 41 37 29 6 4 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
157
Subject 53 2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
pound 2 pound 2 4 2 sect z ~ 2 10 11 12 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 13 13 16 13 25 11 8 7 11 20 9 2 5 1
UR 28 43 49 65 68 67 64 45 40 41 70 77 79 70 69 LL 51 23 28 20 19 25 17 42 46 33 17 8 4 6 1
LR 58 74 69 53 42 43 66 62 8o 76 51 57 65 68 87
Blank Responses
UL 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 3 1 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 4 5 6 3 9
LL 10 3 1 4 0 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
LR 11 20 19 9 0 5 5 3 3 2 0 2 0 0 0
cd -Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 10 16 35 10 19 9 14 13 35 33 32 17 15 UR 12 27 34 44 43 49 49 36 32 43 38 52 62 63 53 LL 22 13 15 6 19 30 18 33 39 38 11 10 4 4 7
LR 40 55 55 47 34 29 48 53 58 41 52 50 42 55 65
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 2 2 3 4 0 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 2 2 0
LLll 0 4 2 0 3 0 4 7 3 3 0 0 0 0
LR 15 26 17 10 0 10 5 9 5 5 1 1 1 0 0
d - Responses
UL 2 3 4 3 4 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
UR 9 12 10 15 14 14 8 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 9 LL 18 3 4 8 0 8 1 7 15 7 1 0 0 0 0
LR 27 25 26 16 5 11 8 9 8 10 3 4 1 12 5
158
Subject 63
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
shy 2 ~ 2 2 6 z ~ 2 Q g g c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 56 69 64 50 51 39 43 38 22 21 20 10 10 7 13
UR 27 _30 34 20 36 35 42 56 68 61 66 64 67 27 97
LL 48 30 41 59 46 56 43 36 25 19 13 23 15 8 7
LR 16 18 12 20 22 21 26 27 41 48 59 56 55 61 32
Blank Responses
UL 4 4 4 1 0 1 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
UR 3 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
_LR 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 26 24 23 30 33 33 36 4o 31 21 30 19 17 11 17
UR 3 9 11 9 20 22 27 44 45 47 47 4o 48 44 56
LL 9 10 12 21 41 50 42 34 37 29 24 34 15 22 4 LR 5 3 5 5 13 28 32 22 29 41 43 47 44 47 27
Blank Responses
UL 3 4 0 1 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
UR 1 5 3 0 5 0 0 3 2 5 3 3 7 2 5 LL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 0
d - Responses
UL 33 35 32 27 15 5 0 2 4 3 1 0 0 0 0
UR 21 23 23 19 10 3 4 5 6 6 5 4 3 1 0
LL 27 25 26 14 13 11 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
LR 28 20 23 21 5 3 1 1 1 4 0 4 0 3 0
159
Subject 64 2 Stars ruld 1 Dot Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
2 2 ~ 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 5 5 2 3 10 18 17 10 25 20 15 14 27 21 20
UR 25 23 37 48 62 51 45 46 24 18 36 32 24 27 28
LL 28 22 16 27 25 31 32 24 42 69 61 52 54 52 31 LR 70 89 73 70 54 60 68 63 71 56 57 70 65 74 82
Blank Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
LL 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 3 5 2 0 0 0 1 2
LR 17 9 9 6 2 4 6 0 2 3 4 3 2 2 4
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 2 3 0 14 6 13 14 8 22 22 24 19 17 22 21
UR 8 23 36 43 50 47 47 47 36 28 25 23 31 32 35 LL 18 16 10 20 17 30 33 18 35 45 47 46 51 4o 34
LR 56 61 52 47 41 45 59 55 50 50 54 61 50 58 57
Blank Resporses
UL 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0 0 0 1
UR 1 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
LL 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1
LR 12 13 9 8 6 5 2 2 2 2 5 0 2 0 5
d - Responses
UL 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 3 4 2 1 0 2
UR 3 4 9 9 17 13 3 8 3 1 1 0 1 2 1
LL 14 5 4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 1 4 1 3
LR 26 27 30 11 15 7 8 7 2 6 2 4 3 4 6
160
Extinction Test Data in Experiment II
The following table entries are the total number of
responses made to each display during the five sessions of
testing Notation is the same as for training
161
Experiment 2
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the
Extinction Tests
Diselats
~ ~ tfj ttJ E8 E8 Subjects
2 Stars and 1 Dot Positive
56 107 0 87 0 87 0
57 149 12 151 1 145 6
68 122 9 129 3 112 0
69 217 7 24o 18 209 16
2 Dots and 1 Star Positive
33 91 3 101 3 90 0
50 207 31 253 30 205 14
59 145 156 162 150 179 165
66 74 1 74 7 74 6
2 Stars and 1 Dot Negative
51 96 111 6o 115 9 77 53 87 98 69 87 7 74
63 106 146 54 1o8 15 56 64 82 68 44 83 18 55
2 Dots and 1 Star Neeative
55 124 121 120 124 10 117
58 93 134 32 111 0 53
67 24o 228 201 224 27 203
73 263 273 231 234 19 237
162
Appendix C
Individual Response Data for F~periment III
Training Data (Distributed Groups)
The following tables contain individual response data
for each session of training The abbreviations UL UR LL
and LR refer to the sector of the display in which the response
occurred (Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left Lower Right)
There were four distributed groups of subjects and the group
may be determined by the type (red or green distinctive feature)
and the location (on positive or negative trials) of the
distinctive feature A red feature positive subject for example
was trained with a red distinctive feature on positive trials
The entries in the tables are total responses per session to
common and distinctive features on pound-only and pound~-trials
Subject 16 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
~ 2 1 ~ 2 4 2 sect 1 8 2 Q 12 12 plusmn 12 2 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 14 12 23 15 44 17 5 0 13 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 120 124 88 107 59 35 6 1 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 4 2 7 12 31 7 1 4 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 24 18 22 21 18 0 6 0 0 2 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 6 3 9 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3 4 9 10 2 0 1 2 UR 89 82 69 66 9 13 18 18 15 17 13 5 1 6 15 2 3 2 0 LL 2 1 4 4 2 7 6 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 1 2 1 3 0 LR 8 6 8 6 1 10 29 28 2 9 10 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 0
d - Responses UL 4 5 17 14 48 47 40 39 42 35 42 48 46 47 40 43 44 40 42
UR 40 37 36 35 47 49 51 45 40 38 45 36 4o 40 39 41 38 42 42 0
~
LL 3 2 2 16 48 50 39 45 41 39 42 35 46 4o 35 45 bull2 43 42
LR 6 9 3 14 39 42 49 41 45 44 43 43 44 45 42 44 42 45 46
Subject 29
Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 g 2 4- 2 euro 1 ~ 2 lQ g ll t ll 12 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 82 79 90 59 25 35 43 22 0 3 4 0 3 0 0 1 0 4 1 UR 32 37 30 50 71 107 115 19 0 2 2 0 7 3 0 2 4 4 0
LL 27 32 35 19 zz 4 5 25 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2
LR 7 0 1 0 6 6 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 52 62 63 45 9 19 13 0 11 21 22 10 19 20 23 13 4 9 12
UR 12 25 28 32 27 33 30 3 1 2 9 6 19 13 17 45middot 47 36 34 LL 9 18 25 11 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 LR 2 1 6 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 ~ 4 6 8 1
d - Responses UL 33 30 23 17 24 34 39 33 37 33 29 35 35 39 38 29 19 18 28
UR
LL
19 10
9 2
4
3
16
9
35 15
33 12
35 19
36
32 36 29
41
19
40
25
44
27
36 11
37 13
41
13
36 10
38 19
35
7 33 12
0IJImiddot
LR 9 3 1 5 21 22 16 24 37 34 32 33 25 28 25 17 16 23 20
Subject O Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Trainins
2 2 pound 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q ll ~ ~ 1t 2 ~ c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 50 54 59 24 26 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 99 106 103 40 34 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LL 13 7 11 43 24 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 18 14 10 72 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 16 8 12 0 2 0 0 0 4 5 0 24 5 14 14 17 11 3 4 UR 20 24 43 19 4 0 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 LL 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 4 3 2 8 6 0 0 LR 8 If 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 42 43 26 36 46 45 45 lt8 45 40 47 45 45 43 45 43 43 45 44 UR 40 44 45 44 46 43 45 47 45 44 45 38 43 41 40 37 4o 43 40 0
0
LL 30 36 32 42 47 49 45 lt-9 44 42 45 35 43 35 36 36 40 43 42 LR 28 32 24 lt-1 45 4o 4+ 44 +2 43 43 41 45 44 42 39 40 43 44
Subject 46 Red Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Traininamp Differential Training
l pound 2 l 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- 2 14- i 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 61 42 20 74 15 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 UR 69 92 72 63 4 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 LL 15 7 5 3 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 14 11 31 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 7 12 10 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
UR 18 43 41 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 2 4 4 4 2 LL 0 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
LR 2 4 28 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 3 0
d - Responses
UL 30 22 12 30 41 4o 37 42 42 38 38 37 4o 35 38 37 35 32 37 UR 36 31 14 35 39 39 38 45 4o 38 36 36 39 36 37 37 36 37 38 t-
0 -
LL 27 20 9 36 45 39 39 42 36 33 37 37 38 35 36 36 36 34 38 LR 34 19 17 38 45 42 45 43 39 37 38 37 38 36 37 35 36 35 36
Subject 19
Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Ditferential Training Differential Trainins
c - Trials
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 1 8- 2 Q 12 ll ll 12 12
c - Responses
UL 77 UR 23
74 13
57 46
65 52
49 73
51 76
84 67
67 52
57 73
42 43
64 32
28 8
6 0
1 0
0 2
2
5
0 0
3 4
1 0
LL 48 78 46 4o 20 34 22 19 11 41 29 7 1 4 0 2 0 2 0 LR 13 7 27 20 24 11 26 39 29 42 4o 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 66 66 47 61 50 58 74 4o 22 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 18 13 59 46 53 32 50 79 22 19 9 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 LL 47 64 4o 27 4o 42 37 29 19 19 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 36 26 29 33 35 35 4 20 43 9 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 UR 0 LL 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
9 0 0
9 17 21
23 19 26
36 32 32
39 39 34
41 40
38
42 44 41
41 42 44
44 44
43
42 43 40
41 45 41
42 43 47
0 ogt
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 30 42 26 40 43 42 43 44 41 42
bull
Subject 33 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 pound 2 2 2 4- 2 6- z 8middotshy 2 1Q ll 1pound 12 plusmn 2 12 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 112 130 74 50 87 54 81 91 79 63 85 77 59 20 7 0 0 0 0 UR 36 26 71 91 61 20 11 18 22 28 9 10 39 30 9 0 0 0 0
LL 11 6 34 9 19 77 75 73 71 70 79 6o 57 58 9 0 0 0 0
LR 5 7 28 26 9 19 10 11 0 16 10 23 22 56 4 0 0 0 0
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 84 90 58 77 62 58 85 71 53 37 26 20 12 6 0 0 0 0 0
UR 43 45 64 63 69 4o 14 24 26 26 9 7 7 5 0 0 0 0 0
LL 20 18 23 13 28 6o 63 77 98 49 73 26 4 9 0 0 0 0 0
LR 16 23 4o 31 21 19 24 8 4 19 0 8 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
d - Responses UL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 25 30 38 41 38 46 43 47 46 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 27 42 34 37 44 47 38 46 0
()
LL 2 0 3 2 0 2 1 0 0 17 37 41 39 4o 45 4o 41 45 46
LR 3 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 15 41 44 41 46 45 48 42
Subject 34 Green Featttre Positive
Sessions Pre-Differential
Training Di~ferential Training
2- 2 1 E 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 0- 10 ll g u ~ 12 16 c - Trials c - Responses
UL 45 30 26 9 15 25 13 28 47 74 91 55 85 33 53 44 46 35 39 UR 4o 22 15 30 33 53 37 49 81 50 28 30 26 39 64 89 27 45 51 LL 42 71 71 65 55 38 56 35 29 36 34 52 69 34middot 31 21 59 39 22 LR 43 57 52 70 59 38 50 48 16 20 23 33 17 42 24 15 37 54 47
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 35 24 17 26 23 16 8 30 47 61 30 62 47 45 50 17 4o 23 33 UR 39 23 22 27 39 20 12 24 4o 36 71 22 14 26 30 55 16 47 46 LL 34 59 61 52 39 25 26 26 4 31 23 22 39 28 15 23 45 29 26 LR 29 49 48 42 48 17 26 28 10 15 38 21 17 36 middotmiddot13 20 28 33 20
d - Responses UL 6 1 4 3 l 20 22 13 10 9 0 12 17 7 19 7 5 5 4 1-
--]
UR 10 4 1 0 7 30 38 35 36 28 27 21 25 28 28 26 28 24 33 0
LL 9 10 10 6 4 18 25 10 6 6 1 4 6 3 7 0 6 3 2 LR 4 10 6 6 6 23 27 16 8 0 11 1 16 14 4 25 7 8 1
Subject 42 Green Feature Positive
Sessions
Pre-Differential Tratntns Differential Training
1 pound 2 pound 2 4 2 6 1 8 2 10 11 g 2 ~ 16-c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 8 2 1 3 5 0 31 33 14 39 0 23 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 UR 60 70 9 13 0 5 37 26 24 50 0 61 69 12 0 0 0 0 0 LL 22 20 48 47 87 82 58 36 65 37 95 21 20 6 0 0 3 0 0 LR 8o 84 91 98 50 81 75 89 84 50 5 55 31 14 0 0 1 0 2
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 19 2 8 4 0 24 58 17 6 13 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 UR 53 72 10 12 0 10 56 43 8 15 0 19 0 0 0 0middot 0 0 0 LL 30 38 62 79 64 76 47 66 63 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 70 59 74 73 49 60 52 65 49 17 0 9 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 37 29 31 42 45 4o 33 49 46 44 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 36 22 31 39 44 41 37 43 42 44 LL 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 17 42 26 41 42 45 4o 29 44 44 44
~ LR 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 19 22 26 25 45 41 37 35 50 44 50 1-
Subject 22
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 6 z 8- 2 1Q g ~ ~ 12 16 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 7 1 12 30 18 13 27 9 9 19 26 35 42 49 31 39 56 48 26 UR 65 70 65 27 63 65 32 46 90 87 92 64 77 60 70 65 52 84 96 LL 3 6 21 35 28 30 32 36 24 12 23 40 34 27 34 32 30 19 5 LR 106 99 69 66 60 59 67 61 40 40 15 23 10 19 19 20 9 11 17
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 0 1 8 13 11 12 11 22 22 38 45 57 35 22 25 37 32 17 UR 39 34 6 35 27 46 29 27 43 67 72 70 67 63 61 54 61 70 60
LL 0 2 13 25 43 36 48 40 35 21 19 25 18 49 32 57 38 17 39 LR 68 43 middot 25 13 60 67 72 80 51 40 37 19 14 14 26 16 18 34 15
d - Responses
UL 0 15 18 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 UR 39 34 33 25 4 5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
] 1)
LL 12 22 37 2+ 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 LR 16 20 43 27 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 37
Red Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 1 ~ 2 4- 2 ~ 1 8 2 Q g ~ ll ll 2 c - Trials
c - Responses UL 4 0 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 l 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 28 18 37 20 47 81 40 40 35 51 46 98 80 36 80 64 125 124 142 LL 8 0 27 4 4 3 11 3 9 6 2 7 8 2 2 4 l 6 l LR 122 147 106 143 138 95 130 135 126 110 126 64 91 143 73 110 47 46 13
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 0 ll 4 0 0 6 0 1 3 2 6 2 10 1 0 0 0 2 1 UR 65 25 37 26 53 64 57 75 56 83 71 92 1Cfl 78 55 92 76 89 92 LL 16 22 27 24 20 29 24 5 18 20 9 11 2 3 6 8 2 0 5 LR 84 97 102 111 103 77 86 66 58 51 47 69 54 87 32 81 51 33 14
d - Responses
UL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 VI
LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 40 Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainins
1 ~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 Q middot1 ~ ll t 12 16
c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 25 18 3 15 8 9 37 34 69 73 81 95 105 82 62 12 5 19 UR 92 88 98 104 85 76 112 113 lW 33 62 54 45 37 68 82 123 138 124
LL 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 16 6 9 4 8 1 0 0 0 0 LR 16 25 26 34 37 57 7 3 2 31 4 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 17 7 7 2 13 10 6 20 24 32 41 64 42 53 28 45 11 7 17 UR 36 46 54 59 71 62 90 78 81 38 55 51 61 46 63 66 89 88 89 LL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 31 27 17 19 17 7 1 2 0 0 LR 37 27 24 24 44 63 9 16 24 39 18 5 2 2 t 9 5 6 5
d - Responses
UL 6 10 8 0 1 1 0 3 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1-
UR 29 26 29 29 8 5 20 17 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 _) shy
LL 4 8 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LR 27 23 17 23 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 81
Red Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
~ l ~ l 4- 2 6 1 8 2 Q u g 12 ll l2 2 c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 24 37 68 76 88 85 90 94 82 131 144 121 ll7 98 72 97 96 90 83 UR 15 12 9 18 22 16 8 5 28 2 6 10 5 12 17 13 6 3 11 LL 67 93 73 59 46 54 52 56 35 37 35 42 47 47 32 39 54 74 65 LR 50 30 8 7 3 7 11 11 8 3 0 2 3 5 29 15 3 10 5
cd - Trials
c - Responses
UL 10 19 35 71 67 67 6o 61 73 84 90 74 75 69 57 61 68 11 55 UR 9 1 16 13 24 32 25 28 25 29 20 28 25 29 30 19 20 17 29 LL 39 34 34 50 49 51 59 52 27 35 35 31 50 50 40 54 54 60 71 LR 52 28 26 1 5 12 11 17 13 6 6 5 8 9 29 22 15 7 16
d - Responses
UL 4 20 21 13 10 1 3 2 9 1 5 2 2 0 2 1middot 0 2 0 UR 9 25 19 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
~
LL 11 14 5 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0
LR 23 19 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 18
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Trainins Differential Training
1 g 2 1 pound 2 4- 2 6- z 8- 2 ~ g g Z 1plusmn 12 16-c - Trials
c - Responses UL 14 11 14 6 4 20 10 19 9 23 50 43 7 38 34 46 42 25 15 UR 16 22 67 66 111 85 109 97 89 74 64 81 123 100 91 78 74 102 111 LL 24 30 5 8 9 16 13 15 5 17 6 5 3 0 4 6 12 2 10 LR 112 108 56 58 8 26 18 17 14 19 13 11 ll 5 2 10 14 7 il
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 1 1 5 6 13 27 11 32 24 32 35 33 23 17 16 46 50 25 13 UR 17 l2 50 65 93 79 87 83 73 67 81 78 92 96 90 71 71 77 96 LL 38 34 3 8 6 9 18 8 4 1 7 7 3 1 5 11 6 4 3 LR 72 78 36 34 15 24 28 24 27 28 23 20 22 36 23 18 18 26 30
d - Responses UL 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UR 3 2 37 18 16 3 8 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- )
LL 2 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
LR 20 27 11 13 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 23
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Training
Sessions
Differentialmiddot Training
~ 2 ~ 2 4- 2 sect z 8- 2 Q ll g ll 1t 12 Jamp c - Trials
c - Responses
UL 35 15 22 38 62 35 49 28 25 37 32 16 21 11 8 15 5 5 9 UR 5 3 3 6 6 5 8 1 9 5 4 5 0 2 5 5 2 1 2 LL 96 117 101 94 85 111 91 115 104 114 112 116 123 130 122 118 129 125 16 LR 12 8 22 9 5 1 0 12 8 5 3 5 2 1 7 8 9 6 6
cd - Trials
c - Responses UL 30 24 22 41 59 47 59 52 42 34 50 28 41 40 32 39 26 31 29 UR 6 1 13 13 1 3 5 2 1 1 0 1 3 1 2 4 1 1 4
LL 90 100 79 87 88 81 90 95 90 93 90 99 101 95 91 11 96 88 102 LR 10 7 32 10 2 14 2 6 14 3 5 7 7 5 11 6 20 13 8
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
--3 --3
UR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LL 18 11 4 5 2 1 1 3 7 13 6 13 7 5 0 0 1 0 4
LR 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subject 27
Green Feature Negative
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential TraininS
g_ 2 g_ 2 4- 2 2 1 8- 2 1Q g g ll ll 12 2 c - Trials c - RespOnses
UL 23 13 22 19 34 21 12 7 8 15 2 18 29 33 53 57 41 30 37 UR 106 123 103 82 95 124 167 134 154 109 130 123 121 113 131 105 100 114 125 LL 31 11 29 50 55 23 9 4 2 5 1 7 9 19 16 8 13 9 14 LR 62 63 78 100 101 95 35 81 36 28 29 36 55 38 36 40 48 30 49
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 13 6 9 23 27 25 14 8 10 10 8 22 20 48 48 53 57 30 57 UR 28 41 50 36 64 105 144 119 119 85 87 89 8o 97 88 99 99 93 96 LL 19 9 19 24 31 23 7 3 3 2 8 6 12 26 26 14 15 4 20 LR 31 26 44 45 71 86 47 46 29 45 36 33 45 42 37 25 27 32 33
d - Responses
UL 22 17 22 12 4 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 UR 39 48 bull3 32 28 13 8 36 29 6 16 26 12 15 13 15 7 8 4
--J
LL 36 23 16 27 12 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 l 0 1 (X)
LR 30 35 30 32 29 12 7 6 5 3 0 0 10 5 1 2 3 0 0
Subject 43
Green Feature Negative
Pre-Differential Trainins
Sessions
Differential Trainins 1- ~ 2 1- 2- 2 4- 2 6- 1 8- 2 10- 11- 12- ll 14- l2 16-
c -Trials c - Responses
UL 23 10 4o 51 4o 64 83 67 78 52 65 30 50 62 24 34 30 64 39 UR 27 15 46 31 95 38 57 31 52 53 31 46 68 37 72 48 54 31 75 LL 29 39 26 24 30 36 13 23 12 34 38 20 10 29 25 41 31 13 18 LR 94 112 66 71 12 4o 23 39 29 4o 43 84 47 24 56 51 56 70 45
cd - Trials c - Responses
UL 27 2 29 4o 61 49 63 62 54 50 79 43 25 44 49 37 25 66 31 UR 33 18 28 39 50 44 43 64 36 55 22 41 50 52 53 47 47 55 61 LL 44 53 49 53 33 27 15 9 19 12 28 10 24 49 14 36 18 31 20 LR 54 83 44 38 3 54 42 29 49 61 49 85 74 34 54 62 8 25 66
d - Responses UL 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 5 0 4 0 0 UR 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~
~
LL 9 10 13 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LR 7 11 17 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
180
Training Data (Compact Groups)
The following tables contain the total number of
responses made per session to pound-only trials (common trials)
and poundamp-trials (distinctive feature trials) by each subject
in the four groups trained with compact displays Notation
is same as distributed groups
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Positive Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials ~1ring Each Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Training
1 2 Subjects
Red Feature Positive
2 1 E 2 4- 2 6- z 8 2 10- 11 g 12 1t 12 1amp
50 c 140 136 144 cd 142 136 144
54 c 144 144 141~
cd 140 144 144
69 c 143 150 147 cd 144 146 150
91 c 141bull 143 144 cd 144 136 141bull
Green Feature Positive
144 145 141 144
152 152 140 141
144 144 144 142 160 151 144 144
144 144 144 144
149 151 15~ 157
144 144
103 144 158 150 144 144
70 144
8 145 29
146 111+ 144
5 144
8 146
11 148
20 144
11 144
5 139
5 144
4 144
9 144
0 144
12 144
1 144
6 144
4 144
4 143
0 137
1 144
12 144
5 144
8 143
3 144
1 144 11
158 12
144
4 14o
4 144
4 158 12
14bull
5 144
0 144
0 151
8 142
5 144
3 144
2 155
3 144
4 156
0 144
4 160
12 144
4 144
0 144
6 157
8 11+1
47
56
57
92
c cd
c cd
c cd
c cd
149 148 144 157 126 144 133 146 143 134 140 143 144 11+4 144 142
148 14o 144 144 140 144 144 141bull
156 150 150 148 143 144 143 146
152 150 148 150 11+4 144 144 14l~
157 162
149 151 144 144 144 11bull4
168 166 148 151
23 144 144 144
148 11+2
14o 145
4 144 141 144
65 148 16
138 4
144 144 144
36 150
42 140
0 144
132 144
19 146
136 144
0 144
42 144
13 152
68 144
0 144 14
144
6 158
27 144
0 144
13 144
13 143 38
144 0
1+4
7 144
15 146
38 144
1 144 10
144
7 153 20
144 8
144
5 144
2 155 18
145 4
144
7 144
6 158
4 141
4 144 15
144
4 143
4 14o
0 144 16
140
00
Experiment 113 Total Number of Responses Made by Compact Feature Negative Subjects to c-Only and cd Trials During Each
Session of Training
Sessions
Pre-Differential Training Differential Trainin~
Subjects 1- 2 2 1 g_ 2 4 2 6 z 8 2 10 ll 12- 12 14 12 16
Red Feature Negative
48 c cd
168 165
167 160
159 162
160 160
151 157
153 159
165 160
138 133
139 140
133 140
143 123
147 102
136 91
146 101
139 60
134 30
147 29
150 30
146 29
55 c cd
141 141
151 146
144 11t4
149 148
144 11-6
144 11+9
167 165
144 148
139 64
144 56
144 70
144 71
145 20
144 3
144 1
144 2
144 4
146 0
144 0
59 c cd
144 1lbull4 144 144
144 144
144 144
11+4 144
144 144
11bull4 141t
143 136
11+4 134
144 104
142 76
144 68
144 29
144 23
144 20
litO 12
143 40
144 20
144 18
66 c cd
144 147
146 145
144 144
145 147
150 145
149 149
163 154
160 154
150 11+5
152 142
149 130
152 97
163 101
149 86
148 82
146 101
160 100
160 97
161 85
Green Feature Negative
53 c cd
130 130
138 138
140 140
144 144
144 144
137 140
140 144
144 144
ltO 140
144 144
140 140
140 140
144 144
144 144
139 141
149 144
137 110
144 140
136 120
64 c cd
151 155
154 155
151 151
149 146
160 155
159 158
165 160
160 160
150 151
161 149
156 66
155 41
157 62
162 95
146 30
154 38
156 40
157 40
151 4o
67 c cd
144 141t
144 143
136 144
144 144
141 142
14lt 144
144 144
144 143
1+0 144
144 144
141 14lt
142 144
144 144
144 144
144 144
140 141
144 118
144 96
141 71
93 c cd
145 1lt2
101 102
litO 140
138 144
144 142
144 145
11+4 143
144 144
141 137
144 82
146 48
146 14
140 1
140 12
142 6
144 13
144 20
140 17
135 12
OJ 1)
Experiment 3
Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During the Extinction Tests--Distributed Groups
d d-Rsp c e-Rsp c e-RsptffiJ tffiJ E E[(J rn fill rn Red Feature Positive
Submiddotiects 16 132 132 1 96 0 87 0 0 0 138 0 29 117 89 4 107 1 105 37 1 1 102 0 30 116 116 0 106 0 108 0 0 0 123 0 46 79 79 0 65 0 52 0 0 0 69 0
Green Feature Positive Subjects
19 131 131 0 40 2 27 0 0 0 132 0 33 162 162 4 lt9 0 58 4 5 5 172 10 34 142 75 102 Bo 53 80 39 75 56 107 88 42 129 129 0 69 0 108 0 0 0 144 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
22 28 0 36 9 33 15 6 25 16 0 4 37 44 0 61 1 2 32 20 61 24 2 0 LJo 47 0 50 12 37 42 20 35 18 0 2 81 91 0 109 30 34 67 49 53 31 3 36
Green Feature Negative subrscts
lfB49 0 29 25 26 20 43 19 0 25 23 73 0 72 41 55 50 28 87 34 4 49
1-27 131 10 126 66 65 111 76 107 76 25 95 ())
43 124 0 152 105 129 119 71 120 34 58 106 VJ
Experiment 3 Total Number of Responses Made to Each Display During Extinction Tests--Compact Groups
d d-Rsp c c cg
c-Rsp c-Rsptffi] tffiJ 58 ~5ill 5ill till 6E
Red Feature Positive Subjects
50 loB 103 10 149 14 115 0 15 10 93 13 54 80 78 3 78 1 72 1 1 0 62 0 69 48 41 0 155 2 163 0 0 0 24 0 91 57 49 13 109 1 114 0 0 0 29 5
Green Feature Positive Subjects
47 111 88 12 100 7 101 6 1 1 107 20 56 30 28 0 24 0 36 0 0 0 14 0 57 81 81 15 158 17 131 0 12 1 70 15 92 120 110 10 139 12 133 3 7 3 113 0
Red Feature Negative Subiects
L~8 21 1 44 41 156 30 21 122 13 0 11 55 4 1 14 14 181 28 3 192 6 9 29 59 14 0 23 35 78 11 8 96 29 2 24 66 38 0 58 42 110 21 6 100 24 4 30
Green Feature Negative Subjects
53 12 0 16 46 97 54 6 119 17 3 11 1-64 9 0 28 40 131 27 7 134 0 0 9 00 -+=67 13 0 13 41 88 66 9 82 0 0 0
93 5 0 5 0 106 0 0 8o 11 2 4
Appendix D
186
Preference Experiment
This Experiment was designed to find two stimuli which
when presented simultaneously to the pigeon would be equally
preferred
Rather than continue using shapes (circles and stars)
where an equality in terms of lighted area becomes more difficult
to achieve it was decided to use colours Red green and
blue circles of equal diameter and approximately equal brightness
were used Tests for preference levels were followed by
discrimination training to provide an assessment of their
discriminability
Method
The same general method and apparatus system as that
used in Experiment II was used in the present experiment
Stimuli
As the spectral sensitivity curves for pigeons and humans
appear to be generally similar (Blough 1961) the relative
brightness of the three colours (red green blue) were equated
using human subjects The method of Limits was used (Dember
1960) to obtain relative brightness values Kodak Wratten neutral
density filters were used to vary the relative brightness levels
The stimuli were two circles 18 inch in diameter placed
1116 inch apart each stimulus falling on a separate key
12The data for the three human subjects may be found at the end of this appendix
187
The colours were obtained by placing a Kodak Wratten
filter over the transparent c_ircle on the slide itself The
following is a list of the colour filters and the neutral
density filters used for each stimulus
Red - Wratten Filter No 25
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 03
Green Wratten Bilter No 58
+ Wratten Neutral Density Filter with a density of 10
Blue - Wratten Filter No 47
+ Vlra ttcn Neutral Density Filter vri th a density of 10
The absorption curves for all these filters may be found
in a pamphlet entitled Kodak Wratten Filters (1965)
The stimuli were projected on the back of the translucent
set of keys by a Kodak Hodel 800 Carousel projector The voltage
across the standard General Electric DEK 500 watt bulb was dropped
from 120 volts to 50 volts
Only two circles appeared on any given trial each colour
was paired with another colour equally often during a session
Only the top two keys contained the stimuli and the position of one
coloured circle relative to another coloured circle was changed in
188
a random fashion throughout the session
Recording
As in previous experiments 4 pecks anTnhere on the
display terminated the trial The number of responses made on
~ach sector of the key along with data identifying the stimuli
in each sector were recorded on printing counters
Training
Three phases of training were run During the first
phase (shaping) animals were trained to peck the key using the
Brown ampJenkins (1965) autoshaping technique described in Chapter
Two During this training all the displays present during preshy
differential training (ie red-green blue-green red-blue)
were presented and reinforced Each session of shaping consisted
of 60 trials Of the six animals exposed to this auto-shaping
procedure all six had responded by the second session of training
The remaining session of this phase was devoted to raising the
response requirement from 1 response to 4 responses During this
session the tray was only operated if the response requirement
had been met within the seven second trial on period
Following the shaping phase of the experiment all subjects
were given six sessions of pre-differential training consisting of
60 trials per session During this phase each of the three types
of trial was presented equally often during each session and all
completed trials were reinforced
The results of pre-differential training indicated that
subjects responded to red and green circles approximately equally
often ~nerefore in the differential phase of training subjects
were required to discriminate between red circles and green circles
Subjects were given 3 sessions of differential training with each
session being comprised of 36 positive or 36 negative trials
presented in a random order On each trial the display contained
either two red circles or two green circles Three subjects
were trained with the two red circles on the positive display while
the remaining three subjects had two green circleson the positive
display In all other respects the differential phase of training
was identical to that employed in Experiment II
Design
Six subjects were used in this experiment During the
shaping and pre-differential phases of training all six subjects
received the same treatment During differential training all
six subjects were required to discriminate between a display
containing two red circles and a display containing two green
circles Three subjects were trained with the two red circles
on the positive display and three subjects were trained with the
two green circles on the positive display
Results
Pre-differential Training
The results of the pre-differential portion of training
are shovm in Table 5 The values entered in the table were
190
determined by calculating the proportion of the total response
which was made to each stimulus (in coloured circle) in the
display over the six pre-differential training sessions
It is clear from Table 5 that when subjects were
presented with a display which contained a blue and a green
circle subjects responded to the green circle ~t a much higher
than chance (50) level For four of the six subjects this
preference for green was almost complete in that the blue
circle was rarely responded to The remaining two subjects also
preferred the green circle however the preference was somewhat
weaker
A similar pattern of responding was formed when subjects
were presented with a red and a blue circle on the same display
On this display four of the six subjects had an overv1helming
preference for the red circle while the two remaining subjects
had only a very slight preference for the red circle
When a red and a green circle appeared on the same display
both circles were responded to Four of the six subjects responded
approximately equally often to the red and green circles Of the
remaining two subjects one subject had a slight preference for
the red circle while the other showed a preference for the green
circle
A comparison of the differences in the proportion of
responses made to each pair of circles revealed that while the
difference ranged from 02 to 30 for the red-green pair the range
191
Table 5
Proportion of Total Responses Made to Each Stimulus
Within a Display
Display
Subjects Blue-Green Red-Blue Red-Green
A 05 95 97 03 51 49 B 38 62 57 43 49 51 c 35 65 57 43 58 42 D 03 97 10 oo 35 65 E 01 99 98 02 51 49 F 02 98 98 02 54 46
Mean 14 86 85 15 50 50
192
was considerably higher for the red-blue pair (14 to 94) and
the blue-green pair (24 to 98)
As these results indicated that red and green circles
were approximately equally preferred the six subjects were given
differential training between two red circles and two green circles
Discrimination Training
The results of the three sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 6 It is clear from Table 6 that all six
subjects had formed a successive discrimination by the end of
session three Further there were no differences in the rate of
learning between the two groups It is evident then that the
subjects could differentiate betwaen the red and green circles
and further the assignment of either red or green as the positive
stimulus is without effect
Discussion
On the basis of the results of the present experiment
red and green circles were used as stimuli in Experiment III
However it was clear from the results of Experiment III
that the use of red and green circles did not eliminate the
strong feature preference Most subjects had strong preferences
for either red or green However these preferences may have
~ Xdeveloped during training and not as was flrst expectedby1
simply a reflection of pre-experimental preferences for red and
green If one assumes for example that subjects enter the
193
Table 6
Proportion of Total Responses Hade to the Positive
Display During Each Session by Individual Subjects
Session
l 2 3
Subjects Red Circles Positive
A 49 67 85 B 50 72 92 c 54 89 -95
Green Circles Positive
D 50 61 -93 E 52 95 middot99 F 50 -79 98
194
experiment with a slight preference for one colour then
exposure to an autoshaping procedure would ~nsure that responding
would become associated with the preferred stimulus If the
preferred stimulus appears on all training displays there would
be no need to learn to respond to the least preferred stimulus
unless forced to do so by differential training In Experiment
III for example a distributed green feature positive subject
who had an initial preference for red circles would presumably
respond to the red circle during autoshaping As the red circles
appear qn both pound-Only and poundpound-displays the subject need never
learn to respond to green until differential training forces him
to do so
The results of Experiment III showed that the distributed
green feature positive subjects took longer to form both the
simultaneous and the successive discrimination than did the red
feature positive subjects It is argued here that the reason
for this differential lies in the fact that these subjects preferred
to peck at the red circles and consequently did not associate the
response to the distinctive feature until after differential
training was begun
This argument implies that if the subject were forced to
respond to both features during pre-differential training then
this differential in learning rate would have been reduced
Results of the training on compact displays would seem to
indicate that this is the case Both red and green feature positive
195
subjects learned the discrimination at the same rate The close
proximity of the elements may have made it very difficult for
subjects to avoid associating the response to both kinds of features
during pre-differential training
Similarly in the present experiment subjects probably
had an initial preference for red and green ratner than blue
Again during autoshaping this would ~ply that on red-blue
displays the subject would learn to assoiate a response with red
Similarly on green-blue displays the response would be associated
with green Thus the response is conditioned to both red and
green so that when the combination is presented on a single display
the subject does not respond in a differential manner
In future experiments the likelihood that all elements
would be associated with the key peck response could be ensured
by presenting displays which contain only red circles or green
circles during pre-differential training
196
Individual Response Data for Preference Experiment
197
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired with a Standard Stimulus Which was Red With a Neutral Filter of a 13 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 B B D B B B
100 D B D B B D
110 D D D B D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
bull 90 B B B B B B
100 B D B D B B
110 D D D D D D
120 D D D D D D
130 D D D D D D
Subject c (Female)
Green Plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of 70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B D B
100 D D B D D B
110 D D B D D
120 D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presentedin a descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
198
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Green) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which was Blue With a Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Added J
Subject A (Male)
Comparison Stimulus Repetitions
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 Of bull 70 B B B B B
80 B B B B B B
90 D B D B B B
100 D D D D B B
110 D D D D D D
1 20 D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B
80 B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D D B B D B
110 D D D D D B
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
Subject C (Female)
Green plus Neutral Filter with Density 1 2 3 4 5 6 of bull70 B B B B B
80 D B B B B B
90 D B B B B B
100 D B D D B D
110 D D D D D
120 D D D D D
130 D D D D
The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented ina descending order while 24 and 6 were in ascending order
1
199
Preference Experiment Human Judgements of the Brightness of the Comparison Stimulus (Red) When Paired With a Standard Stimulus Which Was Blue with A Neutral Filter of a 10 Density Addedl
Subject A (Male)
ComEarison Stimulus Re2etitions
Red plus Neutral Filter With Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 B B B B B B
30 B D D B D B
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D
Subject B (Male)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B B B D B
30 B D B D B D
40 D D D D D D
50 D D D D D D
60 D D D D nmiddot D
Subject c (Female)
Red plus Neutral Filter with Density of 1 2 3 4 5 6
00 B B B B B
10 B B B B B B
20 D B D B B B
30 D B D B D D
AO D D D D D D
50 D D D D
60 D D D
1 The letters D and B stand for judgements of dimmer and brighter Repetitions 1 3 and 5 were presented in a descending order while 2 4 and 6 were in ascending order
200
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Hade to Each Pair of
Stimuli During Each Session of Pre-Differential Training
Session 1 Subject Blue - Green Red - Blue Red - Green
1 3 92 94 3 48 50 2 60 89 88 64 75 81
3 3 85 63 23 56 28 4 0 80 78 0 39 42
5 3 95 84 10 43 52 6 5 75 75 5 34 47
Session 2 Subject
1 4 91 98 2 53 46 2 60 82 61 76 71 68
3 25 38 31 25 3 33
4 2 77 76 1 41 38 5 0 97 94 0 68 27 6 1 79 77 3 57 26
Session 2 Subject
1 3 94 97 3 65 52 2 48 71 83 84 77 76 3 29 59 54 41 35 60 4 12 75 77 0 35 42
5 1 95 93 2 44 52 6 1 81 81 1 57 29
Session 4 Subject
1 9 89 97 4 55 45 2 66 80 86 48 53 78 3 26 61 55 35 48 40
4 0 80 8o 1 18 53 5 0 89 95 0 28 63 6 1 85 83 3 23 29
201
- 2shy
Session 2 Subject Blue - Greel Red - Blue ~ Green
1 2 94 99 4 48 53 2 29 88 75 55 68 68
3 43 42 50 36 65 27 4 0 80 80 0 20 61
5 0 89 98 2 42 48
6 0 88 87 0 46 42
Session 6 Subjec~
1 8 82 98 3 39 51 2 44 91 90 45 73 60
3 48 39 30 54 57 29 4 0 80 76 0 10 62
5 0 92 97 ~0 60 34 6 1 85 83 0 39 43
202
Preference Experiment Total Number of Responses Made to Each Stimulus
During Differential Training
Red Circles Positive
Session
Subject g1 2 1 - S+ 136 145 144
- S- 14o 73 26
4 - S+ 1~4 128 145
- S- 144 50 13
5 - S+ 144 144 144
- S- 122 18 7
Green Circles Positive
Session
Subject 2 - 2 2 - S+ 195 224 195
- s- 197 144 14
3 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 134 8 1
6 - S+ 144 144 144
- s- 144 39 3
203
Appendix E
204
Positions Preferences
In both Experiments II and III feature negative subjects
exhibited very strong preferences for pecking at one section of
the display rather than another
It may be remembered that in Experiment II feature
negative subjects were presented with a display containing three
common features and a blank cell on positive trials This
display was not responded to in a haphazard fashion Rather
subjects tended to peck one location rather than another and
although the preferred location varied from subject to subject
this preference was evident from the first session of preshy
differential training The proportion of responses made to
each segment of the display on the first session of pre-differential
training and on the first and last sessions of differential training
are shown in Table 7
It is clear from Table 7 that although the position
preference may change from session to session the tendency to
respond to one sector rather than another was evident at any point
in training Only one of the eight subjects maintained the original
position preference exhibited during the first session of preshy
differential training while the remaining subjects shifted their
preference to another sector at some point in training
It may also be noted from Table 7 that these preferences
205
Table 7
Proportion of Responses Hade to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) Sectors on 9_shy
only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential middotTraining (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-12)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Circle as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 05 37 10 54 51 D-1 -37 26 25 13
D-12 -57 04 35 05
Pre I 10 18 34 39 53 D-1 10 -39 14 -37
D-12 01 47 01 52
Pre I 39 19 31 10 63 D-1 -33 15 38 15
D-12 09 66 05 21
Pre I 03 17 19 60 64 D-1 02 32 18 48
D-12 12 17 20 52
Star as Distinctive Feature
Pre I 11 24 16 49 55 D-1 17 44 17 21
D-12 14 48 12 26
Pre I 10 23 27 40 58 D-1 20 27 28 26
D-12 31 10 40 19
Pre I 21 17 -35 27 67 D-1 26 68 03 03
D-12 50 48 01 01
Pre I 32 20 24 26 lt73 D-1 13 41 05 41
D-12 04 59 03 34
206
are not absolute in the sense that all responding occurs in
one sector This failure may be explained at least partially
by the fact that a blank sector appeared on the display It
may be remembered that subjectsrarely responded to this blank
sector Consequently when the blank appeared in the preferred
sector the subject was forced to respond elsewhere This
would have the effect of reducing the concentration of responding
in any one sector
The pattern of responding for the distributed feature
negative subjects in Experiment III was similar to that found in
Experiment II The proportion of responses made to each sector
of the positive display on the first session of pre-differential
training as well as on the first and last session of differential
training are presented in Table 8
It is clear from these results that the tendency to respond
to one sector rather than another was stronger in this experiment
than in Experiment II This is probably due to the fact that
each sector of the display contained a common element As no
blank sector appeared on the display subjects could respond to
any one of the four possible sectors
In this experiment four of the eight subjects maintained
their initial position preference throughout training while the
remaining four subjects shifted their preference to a new sector
It is clear then that feature negative subjects do not
respond to the s-only display in a haphazard manner but rather
207
Table 8
Proportion of Responses Made to Upper Left (UL) Upper Right (UR) Lower Left (LL) and Lower Right (LR) sectors on pound-only Trials by Subjects Trained with the Distinctive Feature on Negative Trials During the First Session of Pre-Differential Training (Pre I) and the First and Last Session of Differential
Training (D-1 and D-16)
Display Sector
UL UR LL LR
Subjects Red Feature Negative
Pre I 08 10 15 68 18 D-1 04 48 06 42
D-16 18 -75 02 05
Pre I 24 03 65 o8 23 D-1 26 04 64 o6
D-16 04 01 92 04
Pre I 10 48 14 28 27 D-1 08 -33 20 40
D-16 16 62 05 16
Pre I 13 16 17 54 43 D-1 29 18 14 40
D-16 36 17 07 -39
Green Feature Negative
Pre I 04 36 02 59 22 D-1 19 17 22 42
D-16 18 67 03 12
Pre I 03 17 05 75 37 D-1 02 12 02 84
D-16 oo 91 01 08
Pre I 25 64 oo 11 40 D-1 02 74 oo 23
D-16 13 87 oo oo
Pre I 15 10 43 32 81 D-1 48 11 -37 04
D-16 51 07 40 03
208
subjects tend to peck at onelocation rather than another
In Experiment III none of the eight feature negative
subjects trained with distributed displays showed as large a
reduction in response rate to the negative display as did the
feature positive subjects However some feature negative
subjects did show some slight reductions in thenumber of
responses made to the negative display bull The successive
discrimination index did not however rise above 60 If
the position preference on positive trials is tabulated along
with the proportion of responses made to negative stimuli when
the distinctive feature is in each of the four possible locations
it is found that the probability of response is generally lower
when the distinctive feature is in the preferred location Table
9 shows this relationship on session 16 for all feature negative
subjects
Birds 27 37 and 40 showed the least amount of responding
on negative trials when the distinctive feature was in the
preferred locus of responding However Bird 22 did not exhibit
this relationship The remaining four subjects maintained a near
asymtotic level of responding on all types of display
It would appear then that at least for these subjects
if the distinctive feature prevents the bird from responding to
his preferred sector of the display there is a higher probability
that no response will occur than there is when the distinctive
feature occupies a less preferred position
Table 9
Comparison of Position Preference and the Proportion of Responses Made to Each Type of cd Trial on Session Sixteen for Each Subject Trained with the Feature
- - on Negative Trials (Distributed Group)
Proportion of pound Responses Proportion of Total cd Responses Proportion of Total Made to Each Section of the Display on pound-only Trials
Made to Each of the Fo~r Types of poundi Trials
Responses Made pound-Only Trials
to
Sector of Display Position of d
Subjects UL UR LL LR UL UR LL LR
Red Feature
Negative Group
22
tJ37
40
81
18
oo
13
51
67
91
87
07
03
01
oo
40
12
o8
oo
03
29
33
32
24
25
10
o4
26
18
21
32
24
28
35
32
26
52
58
56
49
Green Feature
Negative Group
18
23
27
43
18
04
16
36
75
01
62
17
02
92
05
07
05
04
16
39
27
24
24
25
27
23
15
25
22
29
32
25
24
24
29
25
51
50
52
50
bullNote the abbreviations UL UR LL and LR refer to Upper Left Upper Right Lower Left fJ
and Lower Right respectively
0