Pigeons learn signal-food intervals independently in a multiple peak procedure.

Abstract

Previous research has shown rapid learning of multiple temporal relations between signals and food by pigeons when these relations are changed unpredictably each session (Kyonka & Grace, 2007). The goal of the present study was to test whether contextual temporal cues-that is, an alternative signal-food delay that was a valid predictor of a target signal-food delay-facilitated acquisition by the target contingency. Four pigeons responded in a multiple peak-interval procedure in which red and green keys signaled separate fixed-interval (FI) schedules with occasional extinction probes (peak trials). The schedule parameters of the FIs either summed to 30 s (correlated condition; ρ = -1.0) or were not restricted to sum to 30 s (uncorrelated condition; ρ = 0.0). Comparing stop times obtained from peak trials in the 2 conditions revealed no effect of context: Temporal control of responding was acquired at the same rate and with the same precision regardless of whether the schedule values were correlated. These results suggest that pigeons learn about multiple signal-food delays independently.