Abstract
Several theoretical models to account for shape discrimination by rats have been proposed. A central issue has been the relative importance of contour separation or contour orientation as a major factor in the coding system. The models of Deutsch and Dodwell reflect this disagreement, Deutsch favoring the former variable and Dodwell the latter. Three stimulus figures were devised in such a way that two of them had equal and constant contour separation, and two had equal amounts of contour in the horizontal and vertical orientations. It was found that the pair with identical contour separation were readily discriminable from one another, but the pair with identical orientations were not. It was concluded that contour orientation is more important in the rat’s pattern coding system than contour separation.
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This research was supported by grant APT 109 of the National Research Council of Canada to the first author.
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Dodwell, P.C., Niemi, R.R. Contour separation and orientation in shape discrimination by rats. Psychon Sci 9, 519–520 (1967). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03327868
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03327868