TY - JOUR
T1 - Simple discrimination reversals in the domestic horse (Equus caballus)
T2 - Effect of discriminative stimulus modality on learning to learn
AU - Martin, Tracy Ilene
AU - Zentall, Thomas Robert
AU - Lawrence, Laurie
PY - 2006/12/15
Y1 - 2006/12/15
N2 - The cognitive capacity of an organism, relative to that of other species, can be assessed by using a relative measure of learning. One such measure is the ability of an organism to learn about the reversal of a discrimination. The present study compared the performance of two groups of horses on a simple discrimination reversal task when the only difference between the groups was the modality of the relevant cue. For the visual group (absence or presence of a light), the spatial position was irrelevant. For the spatial group, a spatial cue (left/right) was available and the visual cue was irrelevant. Horses in the spatial group learned the original discrimination and six reversals; they also showed evidence of learning to learn. Horses in the visual group did not reach criterion during the study. As a result, there was no evidence of learning to learn.
AB - The cognitive capacity of an organism, relative to that of other species, can be assessed by using a relative measure of learning. One such measure is the ability of an organism to learn about the reversal of a discrimination. The present study compared the performance of two groups of horses on a simple discrimination reversal task when the only difference between the groups was the modality of the relevant cue. For the visual group (absence or presence of a light), the spatial position was irrelevant. For the spatial group, a spatial cue (left/right) was available and the visual cue was irrelevant. Horses in the spatial group learned the original discrimination and six reversals; they also showed evidence of learning to learn. Horses in the visual group did not reach criterion during the study. As a result, there was no evidence of learning to learn.
KW - Discrimination Reversal
KW - Horse
KW - Learning-to-learn
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33750944409&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.applanim.2006.02.011
DO - 10.1016/j.applanim.2006.02.011
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33750944409
SN - 0168-1591
VL - 101
SP - 328
EP - 338
JO - Applied Animal Behaviour Science
JF - Applied Animal Behaviour Science
IS - 3-4
ER -