Abstract
Eight capuchin monkeys were trained on a simultaneous shape discrimination and a subsequent reversal with size, brightness, and position cues irrelevant. One group (HS) was trained with highly salient size and brightness cues, and the other group (LS) was trained with less salient size and brightness cues. The two groups did not differ significantly in learning either the original discrimination or its reversal. However, during reversal, Group HS responded more to its preferred size than did Group LS. This result indicates that the emergence of previously absent preferences along an irrelevant dimension is a function of the salience of the dimension. Responding to irrelevant dimensions was also found to increase from acquisition to reversal for the HS group, but not for the LS group. This increase is not consistent with Mackintosh’s recent theory of discrimination learning.
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This research was partially supported by Training Grant MH-11286 from the U.S. Public Health Service., University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721.
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Scanlon, J.L., King, J.E. Discrimination and reversal in capuchin monkeys as a function of irrelevant cue salience. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 16, 41–43 (1980). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337089
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337089