The emergence of symmetry in a conditional discrimination task using different responses as proprioceptive samples in pigeons

In Experiment 1, 10 pigeons were exposed to a successive symbolic matching-to-sample procedure in which the sample was generated by the pigeons' own behavior. Each trial began with both response keys illuminated white, one being the "correct" key and the other the "incorrect" key. The pigeons had no way of discriminating which key was correct and which incorrect, since these roles were assigned oil a random basis with the same probability of 0.5 for each key. A Fixed ratio of five responses was required on the correct key. However, each time the pigeon pecked the incorrect key. the correct key response counter reset. Five consecutive pecks oil the correct key was the only way to end this component, and switch off both key lights. Two seconds later, these same keys were illuminated again, one green and the other red (comparison stimuli). Now, if the correct white key had been oil the left, a peck at one color produced food, and if the correct white key had been Oil the right, a peck at the other color produced food. When the pigeons had learned this discrimination. they, were exposed to several symmetry tests (simultaneous presentations of both keys illuminated the same color-i.e., both red or bath green). in order to interchange the sample with the comparison Stimuli. In Experiment 2, the importance of requiring discrimination between the samples and between the comparisons was analyzed. In Experiment 3, we compared the results of Experiment I with a slightly different experiment, which resulted in discrimination of key position, all exteroceptive stimulus. The results showed that symmetry emerged only when different responses were used as samples.