Abstract
A symbolic delayed matching procedure may be used to study memory for stimulus duration in pigeons. Short and long presentations of a light sample stimulus are mapped onto the choke of visually differentiated comparison keys. When delay is varied in such a symbolic delayed matching procedure, pigeons show increasing preference for the short-sample key as the delay becomes longer (choose-short effect), even after a long sample stimulus has been presented. Two theoretical explanations of the choose-short effect are suggested. A subjective shortening model holds that the choose-short effect arises from progressive shortening of the memory of stimulus duration as the delay proceeds. An alternative coding model suggests that the choose-short effect arises from stimulus generalization after an initial response instruction to peck the long-sample key has been forgotten. These two models were tested by training pigeons to peck a third comparison key after no sample stimulus had been presented. Shifts in key preferences over delays ranging from 0 to 21 sec clearly supported the coding model.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Church, R. M. (1978). The internal clock. In S. H. Hulse, H. Fowler, & W. K. Honig (Eds.),Cognitive processes in animal behavior (pp. 277–310). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Church, R. M. (1980). Short-term memory for time intervals.Learning & Motivation,11, 208–219.
Honig, W. K. (1978). Studies of working memory in the pigeon. In S. H. Hulse, H. Fowler, & W. K. Honig (Eds.),Cognitive processes in animal behavior (pp. 211–248). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Honig, W. K. (1981). Working memory and the temporal map. In N. E. Spear & R. R. Miller (Eds.),Information processing in animals: Memory mechanisms (pp. 167–197). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Honig, W. K., &Thompson, R. K. R. (1982). Retrospective and prospective processing in animal working memory. In G. H. Bower (Ed.),The psychology of learning and motivation: Advances in research and theory (Vol. 16, pp. 239–283). New York: Academie Press.
Roberts, S. (1982). Cross-modal use of an internal clock.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes,8, 2–22.
Roberts, W. A., &Grant, D. S. (1976). Studies of short-term memory in the pigeon using the delayed matching-to-sample procedure. In D. L. Medin, W. A. Roberts, & R. T. Davis (Eds.),Processes of animal memory (pp. 79–112). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Spetch, M. L. (1985). Interaction between working and reference memory.Canadian Psychology,26, 503.
Spetch, M. L., &Wilkie, D. M. (1982). A systematic bias in pigeons’ memory for food and light duration.Behavior Analysis Letters,2, 267–274.
Spetch, M. L., &Wilkie, D. M. (1983). Subjective shortening: A model of pigeons’ memory for event duration.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes,9, 14–30.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Support for this research was provided by Grant A7894 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kraemer, P.J., Mazmanian, D.S. & Roberts, W.A. The choose-short effect in pigeon memory for stimulus duration: Subjective shortening versus coding models. Animal Learning & Behavior 13, 349–354 (1985). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03208009
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03208009