Abstract
Pigeons performed a delayed matching-to-sample task in which they matched red and green disks as comparison stimuli to samples of food and no food. The birds were also taught a discrimination between two lines: vertical (S+) followed by food and horizontal (S−) followed by no food. The two kinds of trials were then chained in infrequent probes such that (a) S+ and S− preceded samples of food and no food, (b) a longer than usual delay occurred, and then, (c) the comparison stimuli were presented. Therefore, in probes when S+ preceded food and S− preceded no food, the samples were “expected. ” But in probes when S+ signaled no food and S− signaled food, the samples were “surprising. ” Matching to surprising samples was more accurate than matching to expected samples. This result completes a pattern of findings implying that surprising reinforcers enhance learning and also persist (are longer rehearsed) in short-term memory.
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This research was partly supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grants RO3 MH 26534 and RO1 MH 31432. The results were summarized at the Midwestern Psychological Association meeting, Chicago, 1978.
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Maki, W.S. Pigeons’ short-term memories for surprising vs. expected reinforcement and nonreinforcement. Animal Learning & Behavior 7, 31–37 (1979). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209653
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209653